Romney Eyes Huckabee Lead

Once Seen As Likely GOP Iowa Winner, Romney Looks To Close Gap With Former Ark. Governor

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Dan Balz and Michael D. Shear.

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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney launched a fresh attack Friday on rival Mike Huckabee, raising the stakes in the tense two-person contest in Iowa that could prove critical to both candidates' hopes of winning the GOP nomination.

A few months ago, Romney appeared the likely winner of Iowa's leadoff caucuses, having outspent and outhustled former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former senator Fred D. Thompson of Tennessee. But Romney never anticipated the groundswell of support for Huckabee, and he returned to Iowa on Friday as an underdog determined to overtake the surging former governor of Arkansas.

Romney's challenge is complicated by the fact that he, alone among the leading Republican candidates, is fighting a two-front battle -- hoping not only to avoid a loss here to Huckabee but also to fend off a strong challenge from McCain in New Hampshire. Twin defeats could leave his candidacy crippled, and the battle in New Hampshire intensified Friday as McCain and Romney traded new attack ads that left the former governor crying foul.

Romney's hopes for winning here now depend on what his advisers believe is a superior organization that will turn his supporters out to the caucuses next Thursday, as well as a potentially risky strategy of remaining on the attack in television ads and other media in a state whose voters have often penalized candidates for being too negative.

Romney's new Iowa ad accuses Huckabee of being at the helm of a big-spending government in Arkansas, providing college benefits to the children of illegal immigrants and issuing more than 1,000 pardons and commutations as governor. The ad also quotes Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice saying Huckabee's criticisms of President Bush's foreign policy were "ludicrous." It follows previous Romney assaults on crime and immigration, and dovetails with ads from the conservative Club for Growth accusing Huckabee of raising taxes as governor.

But even as Romney's campaign continued its bombardment of Huckabee on television, the candidate tempered his public comments, offering a softer, more emotional stump speech and being joined by his wife, Ann, as he began a final bus tour on Friday that will carry him throughout the state before the caucuses.

Huckabee, during a conference call with reporters Friday, called Romney "desperate and dishonest" in his attacks. In a pointed rebuttal, he argued that, under his leadership, Arkansas' penalties for possession of methamphetamine were four times as severe as those in Massachusetts, and he said his pardon policy was based on common sense and compassion that Romney never demonstrated as governor.

Romney fired back: "If there's anything in the [new] ad that's not accurate, I'd like to know what it is."


Huckabee said that even a second- or third-place finish here next week would represent a remarkable story, given where he stood a few months ago, and would give his candidacy a strong boost. But a loss in Iowa could significantly set back Huckabee's hopes, given that he faces major hurdles in New Hampshire five days after the caucuses.

A top Huckabee adviser fretted openly about the possible impact of a weekend of unanswered negative ads aimed at the underfinanced former Arkansas governor and about how the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto could prompt voters to evaluate candidates' credentials differently than they did a week ago.

"We don't see an erosion yet," Ed Rollins, a veteran GOP strategist who recently joined Huckabee's campaign, said in a telephone interview. "But you hope over the course of the next few days they don't start eroding our base."

Huckabee pointed out that he is the target of attack ads from both Romney and outside groups, but Rollins said the campaign had not anticipated that Romney would unleash a new attack on Friday. He added that Huckabee is determined to remain on a positive track but warned that the campaign will reevaluate that position on Monday.

"If we think we're starting to bleed, we've got a book of stuff on him," Rollins said of Romney. "We'll have to do it in person. Either Mike does it or I do it, but it doesn't have the impact of television. If we're really bleeding on Monday, we reserve the right to go back and defend ourselves."

Romney's attacks carry clear risks for his own candidacy, but his advisers, demanding anonymity to speak candidly about the state of the race, said they see no downside to the strategy at this point. "We've been very comfortable contrasting our experience and his, and I don't see any reason why that's going to stop," said one adviser.

Romney, however, was clearly miffed by the response ad McCain put up in New Hampshire on Friday. The ad quotes the Concord Monitor describing Romney as a "phony" and follows a Romney ad attacking McCain on taxes and immigration. Arguing that his ad was a comparison of the two candidates' records, Romney called McCain's ad a personal attack.

"It's nasty. It's mean-spirited," he told reporters on his campaign bus. "Frankly, it tells you more about Senator McCain than it does about me, that he'd run an ad like that."

[lc123451]

MIKE HUCKABEE has been a "gentleman" with dignity during this campaign!!! I can TRUST him...he has ALWAYS been and will ALWAYS STAY ... pro-life...pro-family and pro-traditional marriage (no matter what office he may run for).

MITT ROMNEY on the other hand ??? See what those who lived under his governorship in MASS. have to say about his record... Just "google"... "MassResistance" and click on "The
Romney Deception"...the documented evidence is there for ALL to see.

MIKE HUCKABEE IS TRUSTWORTHY! A relative living in Arkansas said of him: "He''s the best GOV. we ever had...is honest and has integrity..he is FOR the people!" GO HUCK !!!!

[giantrobot2]

Iowa voters are very smart folks, they admire those with integrity and honesty. Iowa voters trust Mike Huckabee because he is consistently displaying those values.

Iowa voters have honor and integrity, they will not allow Mitt Romney on the other hand to buy them with his gobs of personal money. Iowans can see right thru Mitt Romney and how phony he is.

If the New Hampshire newspaper (near the state Mitt Romney is from) calls him a phony too, then Mitt Romney is in serious trouble. Both the Heartland and Coast to Coast know he is a phony.

If you havent had the chance to read an excellent book yet, I totally recommend "From Hope to Higher Ground" that Mike Huckabee wrote. It is a super inspiring book. Mike is like no other candidate out there, he is truly the people''s president. He is determined to bring this country up. What a great role model for society.

Mike Huckabee is the most level headed, balanced person out there. He is at the top of his game, ready to lead all to higher ground.

[merlgrey]

"While in private business, Mitt Romney utilized shell companies in two offshore tax havens to help eligible investors avoid paying U.S. taxes, federal and state records show."

"Romney gained no personal tax benefit from the legal operations in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. But aides to the Republican presidential hopeful and former colleagues acknowledged that the tax-friendly jurisdictions helped attract billions of additional investment dollars to Romney''''s former company, Bain Capital, and thus boosted profits for Romney and his partners."

[lone-star5]

Way to go Iowa! I am so excited to see that Mitt Romney is resurging there. There is hope for America! Go Mitt!!!!

[liberalvet]

Keriama....

Get over it... no Repug will be voted in as President for a long time.... America has seen enough of the bible thumping morons policies and agendas.....

[ixoye_02]

If Mitt Romney has "superb moral and work ethics"? Why can''t he remain committed to one political position? Romney is a political chameleon, who will best serve the American people by going away. And if you think the Mormon church believes in separation of church and state, just live in Utah for a year. You will definitely NOT see a separation of church and state. Mormons would say anything and present a nice facade to convince you that they are pure and WHITE as snow. I''ve known too many ex-Mormons to be unbiased about these observations. If you don''t believe me, do the right thing and ask questions. In any case, I can''t trust Mitt Romney''s political positions because these have shifted and are dependent on the prevailing political winds. Let''s have some real character and commitment from those we consider voting for president!!!

[pastdue1]

The people know who is qualified to run this country. At crunch time, they will vote for the best man or woman to lead us during these critical times. Posted by Lone-star5 at 04:05 PM : Dec 29, 2007

If this were true , For the past 7 years we would not have been saddled with a born again Christian who has caused these critical times, disrupted the entire world with his war mongering foreign policy, ruined the US reputation by employing anti-American policies, and led the country into a false economy.

[cs4466]

Sure, sure, vote for Romney on the primary! Please! LOL....

Go Hillary 2008!! Woot!

[keriama]

Mitt Romney is going to make a brilliant, organized and hard working president. No other GOP can beat Hillary, except...perhaps Guiliani, but he would not a good president make. Mitt has the intellect, right demeanor, charisma, superb moral and work ethics, is very committed and a fun personality in real life. He also has the most exemplary family, extended family included. I''d rather look at his handsome face for the next 4 yrs than anyone elses. (Sadly, being president can age a person quicker than anything.)

[keriama]

Mitt Romney is going to be a brilliant, organized and hard working president. No other GOP can beat Hillary, except...perhaps Guiliani, but he would not a good president make. Mitt has the intellect, right demeanor, charisma, superb moral and work ethics, is very committed and a fun personality in real life. He also has the most exemplary family, extended family included. I''d rather look at his handsome face for the next 4 yrs than anyone elses. (Sadly, being president can age a person quicker than anything.)

[keriama]

The way that Mitt Romney has diligently and tirelessly run his campaign thus far, reveals to me what an incredible president he will make. Virtually everything he has put his hand to in past decades has been a great success and I''ve no doubt that this pattern will continue as president. Romney and his Church firmly believe in the separation of Church and State. I have no doubt that Huckabee would cross that line, should he win (which he wont). Huckabee just doesn''t have the ''smarts'' to be president and Commander no Chief. No way, no how. I don''t trust him one iota. Besides, a win for Huckabee would be a win for Hillary. Can''t let that happen.

[mcv57]

...and people wonder why Robertson threw his support to Giuliani

Posted by billpl at 05:40 PM : Dec 29, 2007

I sure wish they put Bozo the Clown on the U.S. Presidential ballot. At least he would give the American Citizens a laugh in attending to get this country out of the deaster that awaits. I would love to die laughing.

[cs4466]

This would be news if it wasn''t completely pointless to begin with. Neither Romney nor Huck have what it takes to be president. They have what it takes to be a priest or pastor. We don''t need more of that *** in the White House, and Hillary can trounce either of these guys without even trying hard. GO HILLARY 2008!

[sgtrds]

Duke it out boys! Both just more Neoconism, same old, same old. Where is your hue and cry at the republican administration''''s lies and corruption?

Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 11:37 AM : Dec 29, 2007

True word that. They''re all fighting for the honor of coming in a distant second to whoever the Democrats nominate. There''s not a single Republican running that ANY of the current Democratic candidates won''t beat the hell out of.

[fibonacci_]

I am glad that these two guys are extremely religious and the top GOP candidates. I dont think they have much of a chance.

[thisandthat1]

I think President Romney is going to do a great job for this country when he''s elected next Fall.

[lone-star5]

It''s wonderful to see that Iowans have put Mitt Romney back in the lead in their state! There is hope for America

[merlgrey]

"While in private business, Mitt Romney utilized shell companies in two offshore tax havens to help eligible investors avoid paying U.S. taxes, federal and state records show."

"Romney gained no personal tax benefit from the legal operations in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. But aides to the Republican presidential hopeful and former colleagues acknowledged that the tax-friendly jurisdictions helped attract billions of additional investment dollars to Romney''s former company, Bain Capital, and thus boosted profits for Romney and his partners."

[billpl-2009]

Hmmm...I me see?

A Baptist minister struggling to keep his lead against a Mormon in Iowa for the GOP???

...and people wonder why Robertson threw his support to Giuliani

[denn034]

"Mitt Romney has re-taken the lead in Iowa"
Posted by perception5

That''s good to see. Such bodes well for the Republicans when the general election comes around. The liberal''s opposition to Romney getting the nomination and their support for Huckabee getting the nomination is probably what''s behind this.