Gov. Romney recently announced who would take part in his Iowa organization this go-round:
Heading it will be Brian Kennedy, a former state GOP chairman. In a statement, Kennedy called Romney “a proven leader who has developed the skills needed to create jobs and grow our economy.”
Continue ReadingRounding out the team are a state Rep. Renee Schulte, Polk County GOP official Connie Schmett, Rose Kramer, a former GOP committee member; activist Alan Lucken; and Steve Cates, a former Pottawattamie County GOP chair.
Romney has a small coterie of political advisers in Iowa, led by longtime consultant Dave Kochel. His state director is Sara Craig, who also worked for him in 2008.
Missing from the roster: Doug Gross, who was Romney’s 2008 campaign chairman in Iowa. Gross is still uncommitted for 2012.
You have to credit Romney for making a more concerted effort to focus on jobs than the other 2012 candidates. As we have recently discussed here at Race, political junkies like ourselves may ascribe great concern to the debt and deficit, but most voters care first and foremost about kicking the economy back into gear and reigniting the American jobs machine. Romney appears to understand this and has tailored his messaging accordingly. Kudos to Mitt to learning the lessons of his 2008 campaign and following his mantra of “Focus, focus, focus”.
May 29th, 2011 at 12:08 pm
All Mitt has to do is focus on his great record as Governor when it comes to job growth….er….um…wait…a second..that’s not going to work..
..never mind.
May 29th, 2011 at 12:58 pm
2. Poor Smack1968……..Romney and Job Growth
Every once in a while it is helpful to the dialogue to take a stroll down fact book lane and actually look at real numbers. So, in an effort to shed needed light on the almost obligatory obfuscation that goes on on this site I would suggest you and your ilk pay attention to the following real numbers:
Job Growth during Governing term of office: One year AFTER assuming office compared to one year after Leaving office ( or Second term )
Unemployment Rate Jobs created Unemployed
Romney ( 2003 – 2007 ) DECLINED 1.3 % Added 83,000 jobs Cut by 43,000
Pawlenty ( 2003 – 2007 ) DECLINED 0.2 % Added 32,000 jobs Cut by 5,500
Palin ( 2007 – 2009 ) ROSE 2.0 % Lost 1,000 jobs Grew by 7,500
Before everybody cries apples to oranges comparisons, that is the point of this exercise. A similar comment is needed comparing healthcare in Massachusetts with other states as well. Each state has significant differences, even in similar times. But this figures should bury the oft repeated canard about Romney’s Job Growth figures. Pretty damn good actually. Go to the bureau of Labor Statistics and check it out yourself
CraigS
May 29th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
This is an important step for Romney. He needs to set up the basic infrastructure in Iowa and be there enough to compete and keep the Iowans happy. But Romney’s real strategy lies in NH, NV FL, and MI. Those states are going to get the bulk of attention, time, and money.
May 29th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
2. Poor Smack1968……..Romney and Job Growth
Every once in a while it is helpful to the dialogue to take a stroll down fact book lane and actually look at real numbers. So, in an effort to shed needed light on the almost obligatory obfuscation that goes on on this site I would suggest you and your ilk pay attention to the following real numbers:
Job Growth during Governing term of office: One year AFTER assuming office compared to one year after Leaving office ( or Second term )
………………….. Unemployment Rate……..Jobs created……..Unemployed
Romney ( 2003 – 2007 ) DECLINED 1.3 % Added 83,000 jobs Cut by 43,000
Pawlenty ( 2003 – 2007 ) DECLINED 0.2 % Added 32,000 jobs Cut by 5,500
Palin ( 2007 – 2009 ) ROSE 2.0 % Lost 1,000 jobs Grew by 7,500
Before everybody cries apples to oranges comparisons, that is the point of this exercise. A similar comment is needed comparing healthcare in Massachusetts with other states as well. Each state has significant differences, even in similar times. But this figures should bury the oft repeated canard about Romney’s Job Growth figures. Pretty damn good actually. Go to the bureau of Labor Statistics and check it out yourself
CraigS
May 29th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
I don’t think you can fault Romney for not going “all in” in Iowa. It is not his kind of state. He tried it once there and it didn’t work. Candidates need to focus on their strengths and it is common for them to focus on either Iowa or NH like McCain did in ’08 and ’00. Why should Romney be held to a different standard? Romney is too smart to repeat his “all in” strategy in Iowa again. I think the Iowans need to be honest with themselves and say that the only reasons they want Romney there is for his money and their pride about how hurt they would be if he just bypasses them.
May 29th, 2011 at 1:48 pm
Craig S,
“Job Growth during Governing term of office: One year AFTER assuming office compared to one year after Leaving office ( or Second term )”
Are you serious?
There is so much wrong with this… words can’t even describe how stuopid this comparison is…but I will start with one example:
TPAW hasn’t even been out of office for one full year!!
HOLY SMOKE!!!
Point 2#
You are taking out Mitt’s first year??
BBRRAWWEWWHHHAAA!!!
I suppose if you just compare the records of the two men, by what job growth there was in the Sea Food Business, by counting how many shrimp was being bought by restaurants every other Sunday…well…look!!! Romeny has the better record!!
Are you serious with this stuff?!!
Honestly??
Because if you are…whhhaaaoooo..you are desperate.
McCain used the 1% payroll MASS job growth argument against Romney during Mitt’s Governorship, comparing it to the National average of 5+% during the “8″ cycle, and Mitt’s opponents will do the same again with great success.
I guess that’s why you have to come up with twisted logic, like you did in this post, to try to defend Mitt.
Yikes!
May 29th, 2011 at 3:30 pm
Smack
First, try spelling stupid correctly.
Second, I took all three Governor’s first year out as the impact of anything they did would not be reflected in their first year in office. You must understand this and are just kidding that you don’t. Also, anything they did do would carry over into the year after they left office. C’mon. You get this , I know. You’re not ” STUOPID ”
Third, I didn’t use TPAW’s second term at all. Perhaps you have a vision problem. Try glasses or contacts.
Fourth. If you think McCain is the clarion call of logic, perhaps you are stupid. Remember how convincingly he chaired the economic summit in October, 2008 that he called?
Anyway, your answer is a clear reflection of why folks don’t get Romney. They also don’t get much of anything else, I guess
CraigS
May 29th, 2011 at 3:42 pm
Craig S, good information.
Smack,
You seem a little deranged…
As both Romney’s and Pawlenty’s governorships didn’t occur in a vacuum, it’s important to look at what was happening prior to their taking over. These are big ships (so to speak) and getting them to change course does not occur on a dime so I understand Craig wanting to take out the 1st year as their policies take time to effect their overall economies.
Massachusettes:
2001 unemployment: 2.8%
Jan 2003 (time Romney took over): 5.6%
June-Aug 2003: high point of 6%
Dec 2007 (time Romney left office): 4.4%
Minnesota:
2001 unemployment: 3.3%
Jan 2003 (time T-Paw took over): 4.5%
June-Oct 2003: high point of 5%
Dec 2007 (parallel time of Romney): 4.7%
Prior to Romney taking over, Massachusettes was experiencing a higher rate of unemployment then Minnesota. That increase trended upward for both governors similarly but peaked shorter for Massachusettes (3 months – Masss vs. 5 months – Minnesota). For the reminder of their terms, Romney brought unemployment down more then Pawlenty (1.6% to 0.3%).
It would seem that Romney brought his “ship” to a stop, changed directions more quickly, and was heading in the opposite direct more quickly then Pawlenty, despite have a larger “ship” to handle (economy/ labor force).
May 29th, 2011 at 5:02 pm
Folks, Smack isn’t looking for facts, he’s looking for excuses.
I’m still wondering if he isn’t a second cousin of Craig for Huck…
May 29th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
4 – He already has an infrastructure in Iowa. He has a county chair in each of the 99 counties in Iowa, and has been in touch with all of them (no other candidate can say that).
May 29th, 2011 at 11:58 pm
9 – I’m still wondering if Smack and Craig aren’t the same person. I wouldn’t be totally surprised.