COLUMBIA, S.C. – Mitt Romney was born and raised in Michigan and has ties to Utah. Yet he chose to make his career, both in business and politics, in Massachusetts. Nearly every political problem Romney has today, at least those involving his policy positions, stems from that one decision.

Romney’s choice of home state affects his fortunes in ways big and small. Here in South Carolina, he was hurt by a widespread perception among conservative native Carolinians that Massachusetts is the font of all liberalism. “The voters link Massachusetts with gay marriage, easy abortion, traffic, pollution, the Kennedys, Dukakis, Kerry and Barney Frank,” says Clemson University political scientist David Woodard. “It’s anathema.” Even a Republican from the Bay State faces suspicion.