Romney's Victory Path Goes Through Miami
Nation, POTUS 5:32 AM
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| WaPo: Romney Secures Key Miami Endorsements |
by Nick Stone:
South Florida is the most liberal, reliably-blue part of the Sunshine State. But it's also home to the state's three largest groups of Republicans.
Miami-Dade County is home to Florida's actively partisan Cuban community and some 367,500 registered Republicans. Their votes can be strategic in offsetting more rural, conservative parts of the state. Just ask John McCain.
Four years ago, John McCain's Florida victory paved his way to the GOP nomination by squeezing past Mitt Romney in the primary and taking all of Florida's delegates. McCain swamped Romney in Miami by a margin of 76,356 to 24,189 - more than enough to offset Romney strongholds in Southwest and Northeast Florida.
This year, Romney has called out the heavy artillery to put Dade County in his column. His campaign made an astute move by hiring Miami native JC Hernandez as Florida Field Director. At a Miami campaign stop this morning, Romney will announce endorsements from Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart as well as former Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart. This heavy hitting trifecta will use their Cuban-Republican bona fides to tip the scales in Romney's favor between now and January.
The "Other" Miami Factor: Jeb Bush.
Four years ago, former Governor Jeb Bush did not officially back a candidate in the Florida primary. Behind the scenes however, Bush urged his close allies to "take a look" at Mitt Romney. As we previously wrote, "Many did just that" and several Bush allies joined Team Romney. As Texas Governor Rick Perry edged past Romney in polls earlier this year, Bush was found not-so-subtly praising Romney to conservative journalists. Jeb's support, either behind the scenes or on the front lines, could be the deciding factor in Miami and across Florida.
The winner of the early Florida primary is likely to seize momentum and win the Republican nomination for president. Mitt Romney knows his path to victory goes right through the heart of Miami.
(updated post)
Posted by Drawnlines Politics
on 5:32 AM.
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