MARION, IA — With former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney struggling to maintain the lead as the national front-runner in the 2012 GOP presidential contest, his wife, Ann, stressed to Iowans the importance of the state.
“We need your help again — we’re here, we’re back in Iowa, and we know Iowa is important to the process,” she told 60 Republicans Wednesday who were packed into the Iowa Senate District 18 GOP campaign office. Romney is on the second day of a three-day swing through the state to raise money for Iowa politicians.
She shook hands with Romney for President field organizers and volunteers who have been working the state in her husband’s absence.
Though Mitt Romney promised an Iowa crowd in May that he would be a frequent visitor to the state, he has returned only once.
But that’s not enough, Romney’s 2008 Iowa Campaign Chairman Doug Gross told IowaPolitics.com.
Gross, who remains undecided in the 2012 cycle, said Mitt Romney needs to be in Iowa if he intends to maintain the 99-county support network he built during the 2008 campaign, when he finished behind former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in the Iowa caucuses.
“Political organization is like a muscle,” Gross said. “It’s only good if it’s used, otherwise it gets flaccid.”
Romney pointed out familiar faces in the crowd during her seven-minute stump speech and said she was “banking” on the support from 2008 to carry her husband’s 2012 bid for the party’s nomination.
She did not say when her husband would be returning to the Iowa campaign trail, or answer questions from the media.
During the 2008 campaign, Mitt Romney made 42 visits to the state — more than any other Republican candidate — and spent more than $10 million here on television advertising and campaign activities.
“Four years ago, he had zero name ID and spent a lot of money in Iowa,” said state Rep. Renee Schulte, R-Cedar Rapids, who also is Romney’s 2012 Iowa Campaign co-chairwoman.
“This time he started with very high name ID. We’re more focused on renewing support and building off the foundation he laid four years ago.”
Schulte said the former governor would return to Iowa later this month, but declined to give specifics.
Supporters on Wednesday said despite his absence, Romney’s campaign remains vigorous enough to compete.
“I feel like we’re still really early in the campaign season,” said Heather Quist, 24, of Marion.
Quist rang doorbells as a volunteer for his 2008 campaign and plans to help again this year.
This week, Romney has been campaigning in New Hampshire and Florida.
However, Schulte told IowaPolitics.com Mitt Romney faces three main challengers here: former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain, former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
In a poll released Wednesday by CBS News, Romney tied Cain for the top spot with 17 percent of support, and Perry was third with 12 percent in the nationwide poll of 1,012 likely Republican voters. The poll was conducted Sept. 28-Oct. 2 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Romney supporter and volunteer Mark Hudson, 34, of Marion, said his candidate trumps Cain and Perry in the “crucial private-sector executive experience that Iowans care about.”
“What’s important to Iowa voters right now is jobs and the economy,” Hudson said. “There’s only one candidate out there right now that has the answers on how to solve that.”
“I think he’s doing what he thinks is best for his strategy,” said state Rep. Linda Miller, R-Bettendorf.
Ann Romney will attend a fundraising breakfast Thursday for Miller, before leaving the state.
Miller originally supported former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty for the 2012 bid, then endorsed Romney when Pawlenty dropped out of the race.
“We’re friends,” Miller said, when asked what prompted Ann Romney to attend the fundraiser. “She’s a lovely person.”
Romney spent most of her speech here sharing stories about her family and life on the campaign trail
“One of my granddaughters, who’s just turned 16 — she’s lovely — made me homemade jam as a coming-home present,” Romney said. “So, they know we’re out there working hard, and she got her little brothers to make ‘Welcome Home’ signs for me.”
Hannah Hess covers politics and government for IowaPolitics.com, which is owned by the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity.
