Politico wrote:Mitt Romney told a group of longtime supporters on Friday that he is considering running for president in 2016, POLITICO has learned.
“Everybody in here can go tell your friends that I’m considering a run,” the 2012 Republican presidential nominee said at a private meeting in New York with about 30 former donors, according to one source.
The meeting was called a few weeks ago and was held in midtown Manhattan. Romney’s announcement was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
People on hand included financier Patrick Durkin, and Alex Nabab, a financier who was part of a recent event with Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor who is also eyeing a 2016 run, a source said.
Romney allies and former staffers have spent much of the past two years lamenting that he should have won in his 2012 campaign against President Barack Obama. Romney also ran for the White House in 2008, but lost the GOP nod to Sen. John McCain of Arizona.
Romney supporters have argued that there’s a clamor for people who would like to see a party leader, and Romney recently began making clear to donors and supporters that such talk was impacting his thinking.
Bush’s decision to move quickly to draw a line in the sand was in part because of Romney’s overtures to donors. Bush allies had privately grown frustrated that Romney was freezing some donors who hoped he would launch a campaign of his own.
Bush has repeatedly said he won’t make a stark pitch to the Republican Party’s more conservative base, and he has lamented that no recent GOP nominee has done that, either.
He has also been critical of how Romney allowed himself to be defined negatively by Democrats during the last campaign.
Romney, in turn, has argued privately that Bush will face some of the same criticism he faced in 2012 over his extensive business ties. Bush has recently taken steps to reduce his private sector links.
Oh yes, people. Mr. 47% himself is suiting back up for another go in the ring. And this does appear to be at least a serious attempt, with donors (plural!) and people attached to his potential campaign already. Considering how well this went last time around I'm surprised he's even considering it, but I for one am all for it - it'll make the Democrats' jobs in 2016 that much easier.
So what say you NSG? Does Mitt have what it takes to strap the golden retriever to the roof of his car and go forth once more? Or will the GOP erase him like an Etch-A-Sketch from their collective memories?
