TILTON (Reuters) – Ten days before the first votes in the 2012 Republican presidential race, Mitt Romney’s well-funded campaign machine has held off the most serious challenge to his White House bid and is keeping him near the top of the pack.
The denting of his main rival, Newt Gingrich, endorsements from respected Republicans and a series of well-received media interviews over the past couple of weeks have boosted the former Massachusetts governor’s campaign.
The usually buttoned-down Romney also showed a lighter side with an appearance on Monday on comedian David Letterman’s late-night talk show.
Gingrich had overtaken Romney in some Iowa polls earlier this month, but a wave of negative television ads by the Romney campaign and his political allies on the former US House of Representatives speaker has righted the ship.
Restore Our Future, a super political action committee (PAC) fundraising committee formed in large part by close associates of Romney, has spent $2.6 million in the past two weeks on advertisements opposing Gingrich, whose lead in the polls in Iowa has melted.
Romney’s failure to move above the 25 per cent mark in national opinion polls throughout the year is a problem. But if Gingrich’s support collapses in Iowa, which holds its nominating contest on Jan. 3, Romney could have a respectable showing and pick up momentum going into the Jan. 10 New Hampshire primary.
Texas Congressman Ron Paul holds a narrow lead over Romney in most Iowa polls, with Gingrich having slipped to third.
“Wonder why Gingrich’s numbers are falling in Iowa? Romney (and Super PACs supporting him) are outspending Gingrich 34:1 this week,” noted the Democratic strategy firm Anzalone Liszt Research.
Long-time Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom told Reuters that Romney’s campaign, by far the best-funded among the Republican candidates, had been ready for a tough December.
“We always thought it would be more competitive and more intense as voting approaches,” he said. “But we like the state of the race right now. Momentum is on our side.”
