After the South: 4 ways Mitt Romney can bounce back
Romney stumbled badly in Mississippi and Alabama, leading to frayed nerves in the GOP establishment and unsolicited advice from political pundits
The political world had two rather contradictory reactions to Rick Santorum's unexpected sweep of the Alabama and Mississippi primaries on Tuesday: This changes nothing, and this changes everything. The nothing-to-see-here crowd points to Mitt Romney's big lead in the GOP race's total popular vote, and his growing, seemingly insurmountable lead in delegates. The other camp says Romney's humiliating third-place showings Tuesday and apparent inability to win Southern states, conservatives, or evangelical Christians are nothing short of "devastating" and "disastrous." How can Romney reclaim his mojo, and status as the inevitable nominee? Here, four ideas:
1. Find a compelling message
These days, Romney's message is "consumed with delegate math, arguments about electability, and attacks" on Santorum, says Peter Hamby at CNN. Many Republicans clearly aren't wild about that approach, and Romney's supporters are practically begging him to "recalibrate his strategy and make a stronger case to voters about why he deserves to be president." The loudest, and most important, voices "calling for a message adjustment" are Romney's donors, says Maggie Haberman at Politico. They want to hear less about delegates, "a bit more policy, and more on his economic planks."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
2. Win Illinois
Forget delegates: "To be the frontrunner, you have to look like the frontrunner," says Chris Cillizza at The Washington Post. "And that means putting 'W's up on the board." The next big prize is Illinois on March 20 — "a state that Santorum and Romney both have to have," and either could win. If Romney prevails, Santorum's "likely to be pigeon-holed as a candidate of the far Right." But "if Romney were to lose Illinois," says John Cassidy at The New Yorker, "all hell would break lose." All of a sudden, "all manner of crazy scenarios would merit consideration," including a "white knight" candidate jumping in the race.
3. Bury Santorum under a pile of cash
Because Illinois is a "firewall state for Romney," and his best chance to kill Santorum's momentum, the next week "will be among the most brutal — and expensive — of the campaign," says The Washington Post's Cillizza. That plays to one of Romney's great advantages: Money. "Romney and his super PAC have outspent Santorum in every state that has voted so far," and you can bet they'll do it again in Illinois.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
4. Shake up his campaign staff
"Were I Mitt Romney, I'd be firing staff," says Erick Erickson at RedState. Romney stupidly predicted a win in Mississippi, proving that his campaign "still has no clue how to play the expectations game." Indeed, "Romney the private equity executive probably wouldn't look at his firm after a series of faulty transactions and conclude that nothing needed to be changed," says Politico's Haberman. Romney the candidate can't, either.
-
Supreme Court to resolve Louisiana gerrymander
Speed Read The court will hear a case challenging the second majority-Black district in the state
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
America might be in a second Gilded Age
In the Spotlight The first Gilded Age was marked by rising inequality and a push for social change
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
1 of 6 'Trump Train' drivers liable in Biden bus blockade
Speed Read Only one of the accused was found liable in the case concerning the deliberate slowing of a 2020 Biden campaign bus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published