Romney Last-Minute California Push
NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Heartened by recent polls showing a tight race in California, the biggest prize in the GOP contest, Mitt Romney's campaign decided last night to send the candidate back to the Golden State one last time for a rally there tonight.
"And I think it communicates to people in California that the entire nation is watching California and what they're going to do," Romney said at a press conference after making a stop at a pancake restaurant here. "If I win California, that means you're going to have a conservative in the White House."
Romney had to cancel a scheduled event in Savannah, Georgia, in order to make room for the cross-country flight to Long Beach, California, where he'll have a rally tonight.
The chaotic schedule then calls for a red-eye flight back east to allow Romney to speak at the West Virginia delegate convention on Tuesday morning. The governor will then vote in Massachusetts (presumably for himself).
But it's clear that in his final push to stay alive and regain momentum in the GOP race, Romney is now banking on winning the majority of California's 173 delegates.
The state allocates delegates by congressional district, so even if Romney loses the popular vote in California, he could still take home the most delegates there.
"And I understand that we've now brought Sen. McCain back to California, too," Romney said. "He's like, 'Oh wow, Romney's there, I better go back there and see if I can't shore up the race there.' But he's sliding in California."