Romney and CPAC

Published Mar 01 2007, 03:48 PM by David S. Bernstein

As I discuss in this week's Phoenix, Mitt Romney is hoping to sway the right-wing to his candidacy at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Two interesting stories today as that conference kicks off in Virginia. The New York Times reports that the Romney campaign is the only candidate bussing in and housing supporters -- from Michigan and Boston -- to vote in the CPAC straw poll. A little desperate, no? But this may be his last chance at them, judging by the Globe's Susan Milligan, who writes that conservative bigwigs coming to CPAC are so disappointed with the Presidential candidates, including Romney, that they have pretty much given up and are focusing on the '08 congressional elections instead.

Meanwhile, it's a busy day for Romney. South Carolina Republicans are holding a straw poll in Spartanburg today. Tonight, Romney's up in Hampstead, New Hampshire, speaking at the Rockingham County Lincoln Day Dinner. Then tomorrow he's scheduled to speak to the CPAC crowd.