Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts and one of several frontrunner Republican Party candidates, has announced his presidential bid for 2012 through a campaign video that sought to fix the spotlight firmly on job-creation.
Mr. Romney, a multimillionaire businessman, is the second Republican candidate to throw his hat in the ring, after Tim Pawlenty, former Governor of Minnesota. Others likely to enter the fray are former Alaska Governor and Tea Party favourite Sarah Palin, former Arkasas Governor Mike Huckabee and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.
On the Democratic side only the incumbent, President Barack Obama, has declared his candidacy, also through a campaign video, which however focused on the campaign method – “people organizing block-by-block, talking to neighbours, co-workers, and friends” – rather than any policy priority.
In launching his campaign, Mr. Romney criticised Mr. Obama’s policies for failing to create jobs quickly. Instead, he argued his own extensive private sector experience – he served, notably, as the CEO of management consulting major Bain and Company – had imbued him with the ability to get the United States economy back on track.
Touching upon the high unemployment rates that he had witnessed in states such as Nevada, Mr. Romney argued, “How has this happened in the nation that leads the world in innovation? The answer is that President Obama's policies have failed.”
Mr. Romney also said that from his vantage point in business and in government, he had “become convinced that America has been put on a dangerous course by Washington politicians, and it has become even worse during the last two years.” He also said that it would be his intention to balance the U.S.’ budget and enforce fiscal discipline.
In announcing the formation of an exploratory committee for his presidential run Mr. Romney is now able to officially seek donations for campaign funding, although he is widely expected to use a sizeable amount of his personal wealth as well.
According to a poll by Gallup late last month, Mr. Romney, Mike Huckabee, Ms. Palin and Newt Gingrich were “bunched in the top tier while another dozen or so possibilities bring up the rear.”
Similarly, a survey by the Pew Research Center in March also indicated “a fairly tight cluster”, with Mr. Romney at 21 per cent, Mr. Huckabee at 20 per cent, Ms. Palin at 13 per cent and Mr. Gingrich 11 per cent.
