ROMNEY DEFECTORS
Romney’s 2008 Iowa Co-Chair Richard Schwarm “Concerned” That Romney Has Not Been
“Participating Vigorously In Iowa.” “‘I’m still very glad I supported him last time. I think he’d make a
terrific president,’ said Richard Schwarm, who was the paid co-chairman of Romney’s Iowa campaign in
2008 but is neutral at the moment. ‘My concern is he doesn’t appear to be participating vigorously in
Iowa, and that’s his only real drawback for me.’”[Des Moines Register, 5/26/11]
Former Romney Campaign Leader Christopher Rants Said It Would Be “Tough” To Support
Romney “If He Doesn’t Make An Effort” In Iowa. “‘I think there are a lot of folks who want to support
him again, but it will be tough if he doesn’t make an effort here,’ said Christopher Rants, who was on
Romney’s leadership team last time but is not committing to any candidate yet.” [Des Moines Register,
5/26/11]
Former Romney Supporter, Iowan Chad Airhart, Said He Heard Many Iowans Say They Had A
“Problem With Romney’s Massachusetts Health Care Plan And His Evolving Position” On
Abortion And Same-Sex Marriage. “Chad Airhart, a Dallas County Republican who supported Romney
last time but is now committed to Pawlenty, said he doesn’t want to say anything ill of another
Republican. But he explained that he has heard many Iowans say they have a problem with Romney’s
Massachusetts health care plan and his evolving position on issues such as abortion and same-sex
marriage.” [Des Moines Register, 5/26/11]
Former Romney Supporters In Florida Jumped Off The Wagon For 2012, Said Romney Campaign
“Was One Of The Most Brain-Dead Campaigns I’ve Seen” And Saw His Massachusetts Health Law
As A Liability. “Newport Beach's Mike Schroeder, a former state GOP chairman, was Romney's 2008
political director for the state but he's not on board this time. Neither is Huntington Beach's Scott Baugh,
the county GOP chairman, who was a state finance co-chairman for Romney last time around. ‘It was one
of the most brain-dead campaigns I've seen,’ Schroeder said. ‘I was planning 15 months in advance, but
their planning window for events was five days. That meant they didn't focus on California until five days
before the primary.’ Additionally, Schroeder sees the health-care reform Romney championed in
Massachusetts as a liability for someone challenging Barack Obama's similar reform on a national scale.”
[Orange County Register, 5/5/11]
Romney’s 2008 New Hampshire Chair Bruce Keough Won’t Support Romney Because Voters Are
Not “Looking For Somebody Who’s Going To Be Recasting Himself,” Or Someone Who Has A
“Wishy-Washy Political Identity.” “Team Romney will have to go without one key player: Bruce
Keough. The New Hampshire Republican who oversaw Romney's 2008 campaign in the Granite State
says he's no longer sure what Romney stands for… A former gubernatorial candidate in New Hampshire,
Keough says Romney's wishy-washy political identity and inability to stake out firm, consistent positions
as a candidate were the reasons for his decision to cut ties with Romney. ‘He struggled with that in the
last campaign,’ Keough explains, ‘and to some extent I think he's still struggling with it’…It's this ever-
changing persona that soured Keough on Romney. ‘I don't think the voters are looking for somebody
who's going to be recasting himself,’ he says. ‘They want somebody who's been true to a certain set of
political ideals for a while.’ Which isn't to say that Keough completely disagrees with Romney… Keough
adds, Romney ‘manages to say things that cause people to think, 'Wait a second: I thought I knew him,
and now I'm not so sure.' I think he can be successful. But I don't think he will be successful if he runs his
campaign like he did in 2008.’” [Mother Jones, 5/4/11]
Former Rep. Vin Weber, A 2008 Romney Supporter Now Advising Pawlenty, Said That In 2008,
Romney “Had The Benefit Of Being A Fresh Face.” “‘He benefited in 2008 with some people who were
looking for the not-McCain candidate,’ contended former Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.), who backed Romney
in 2008 and still thinks highly of him, but is now a top adviser to Tim Pawlenty. ‘Romney was the obvious,
most broadly acceptable alternative to McCain. And he had the benefit of being a fresh face.’” [Politico,
1/28/11]
Former Romney Advisor Vin Weber Joined Pawlenty Team. “Pawlenty filed paperwork Thursday with
federal regulators to form his Freedom First PAC, a national fundraising committee he can use to aid
GOP candidates in upcoming elections. Past presidential candidates have started such committees to
raise their profile ahead of a White House run, a possibility Pawlenty hasn't ruled out…The PAC's co-
chairmen are William Strong, vice chairman at investment bank Morgan Stanley, and Vin Weber, a former
Minnesota congressman and partner of a Washington lobbying firm who advised Republican Mitt Romney
during a 2008 presidential bid.” [AP, 10/1/09]
Former New Hampshire Romney Supporter Said That “The Average American Doesn’t Connect”
With Romney. “State Rep. Laurie P. Pettengill, a 2008 Romney volunteer who rode the tea party wave
into the New Hampshire Statehouse last year, said the former Massachusetts governor ‘doesn’t
resonate.’ ‘I love the guy, but I just think that the average American doesn’t connect with him,’ Ms.
Pettengill said. ‘I think to a lot of people he says what they want to hear, and it doesn’t come from his
heart.’” [Washington Times, 5/8/11]
Former Romney Supporter NH Sen. Tom DeBlois Said Romney “Has Work To Do.” “Hurting Mr.
Romney the most are the lingering concerns from 2008, when he spent much of his time explaining the
record he amassed in Massachusetts, one of the most liberal states in the country. ‘He has work to do,
and he has to really decide where he is on those issues and how to talk to them,’ said state Sen. Tom
DeBlois, a Republican who supported Mr. Romney in 2008. ‘I’m sure he will develop that as time goes
on.’” [Washington Times, 5/8/11]
Former Chair Of Romney’s 2008 Iowa Faith And Values Steering Committee Thought That The List
Of Candidates May Grow So He’s “Waiting.” “State Sen. David Johnson, a chairman of Romney’s
2008 Iowa faith and values steering committee, thinks Romney is the Republican in the current lineup
most likely to beat Democratic President Barack Obama. But he thinks the list of candidates might grow.
‘So I’m waiting,’ said Johnson, who lives in Ocheyedan.” [Des Moines Register, 5/26/11]
Doug Gross Said Romney Has To Decide If He’s Going To Compete In Iowa, Said He Was “Still
Staring At His Phone” Waiting For Romney To Call, But Remained Undecided. “Gross, Romney’s
Iowa campaign chair last time and a close ally of Gov. Terry Branstad, was blunt in assessing the
situation. ‘I haven’t talked to him in a long time,’ said Gross, one of the most powerful GOP players in the
Hawkeye State, of Romney. The Iowan said Romney needed to make clear what he intended to do in the
state. ‘Every day that goes by, you’re losing out because folks are going to start choosing sides,’ Gross
said. ‘You’ve got to decide if you’re playing or not.’ Even as he joked that he was ‘still staring at his phone’
waiting for Romney to call, Gross suggested he wouldn’t keep waiting. ‘I’m having lunch with Newt
[Gingrich] tomorrow,’ he said earlier this week.” [Politico, 1/28/11]
Former Romney Iowa Co-Chair Doug Gross Said “Romney Has A Better Opportunity In Iowa This
Year” But Remained Unaligned With Any Candidate. “‘Romney has a better opportunity in Iowa this
time than he did in ’08,’ said Doug Gross, who was Romney’s state cochairman during the 2008
campaign but is now unaligned. ‘2008 was a race where you had one social conservative in the race and
multiple economic conservatives.’” [Boston Globe, 5/27/11]
Former Romney New Hampshire Advisor Rich Killon Teamed Up With Pawlenty Because He Was
A “Successful Governor…Without Sacrificing Principles.” “Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty
picked up another Granite State ally. Rich Killion, who has been a strategist and provided
communications services for other campaigns, expects to take Pawlenty on as a client if Pawlenty runs
for president. Killion’s most prominent local role is as a spokesman for Millennium Gaming in New
Hampshire. Killion praised Pawlenty as a candidate who loves retail politics and can connect with people.
‘He was a very successful governor as a Republican in a blue state who really had to make a lot of tough
choices and was willing to be accountable to them without sacrificing principles,’ Killion said. In the midst
of ‘fiscal disarray’ in Washington, Killion said, ‘here’s a guy who has a track record of bringing fiscal sanity
to a state.’” [Concord Monitor, 3/11/11]
DeMint, 2008 Romney Backer Said That He Had “An Open Mind” About 2012, Though Romney
Was Near The Top Of His List. “The most glaring absence, so far, is DeMint, who hasn’t committed to
Romney. Like Gregg a national co-chair in 2008, DeMint told POLITICO last month that while Romney
was near the top of his list he had ‘an open mind’ and noted that there are ‘others who are looking at it.’”
[Politico, 1/28/11]
David Koch, Former Romney Supporter, Said He Wouldn’t Make A Decision On Who To Back Until
2012. “Koch — who'd backed Romney in 2008 — held a major meet-and-greet event for the former
Massachusetts governor at his Hamptons home last summer. Several top Romney supporters described
Koch and his wife, Julia, as committed to the candidate shortly after the event, a notion that was repeated
by some of Romney's major donors as recently as last month. But Koch, a major tea party backer and a
favorite target of the left, told the New York Daily News that ‘only next year will I take a position’ on which
candidate to back.” [Politico, 5/4/11]
Former Romney Supporter In Florida Hosted A Dinner For Pawlenty In May 2011, But Remained
Uncommitted. “‘He has a good story to tell. He comes from humble beginnings and is a self-made guy,’
said Dr. A. K. Desai, a St. Petersburg insurance executive who supported Romney in 2008. Desai is
uncommitted so far this cycle, but hosted a dinner Monday night for Pawlenty. ‘People in the Republican
Party are looking for somebody who can connect with people. And that could be an appeal for Pawlenty,’
Desai said.” [St. Petersburg Times, 5/24/11]
Former Romney Advisor Sally Bradshaw Chose Barbour Over Romney In 2012. “Sally Bradshaw, a
veteran Republican strategist in Florida and an advisor to Mitt Romney during his presidential campaign
in 2008, has signed on with Haley Barbour's political action committee…‘I've known Haley for a long time,
and I'm convinced he's the right person for the job,’ Bradshaw told Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake of the
Washington Post. ‘With Haley, what you see is what you get; he's not afraid to speak the truth and be
bold in the face of challenges.’” [Talking Points Memo, 3/21/11]
Former Romney Aide Carl Forti Remained Unaligned In 2012 Race. “Carl Forti, a top aide to
Romney's 2008 campaign who is unaligned this year, pointed to McCain as an example of how the former
Massachusetts governor could seize the nomination with his strategy this year. The Arizona Republican
ran a bare-bones Iowa campaign, lost the state and came back to win New Hampshire on his way to
capturing the nomination. ‘John McCain has shown that you don't have to win every early state to get the
nomination,’ he said. ‘You can sort of weave your way through.’” [AP, 5/26/11]
Lamontange, 2008 Romney Supporter, Still Undecided On Who To Support In The GOP Primary.
“In 2008, Lamontange was an early backer of Romney’s presidential bid…Lamontagne told POLITICO he
definitely intends to endorse someone in the primary, ‘by Thanksgiving at the latest.’ ‘I want to be an
active supporter, I don’t want to just say I’m a supporter and not actively participate,’ he said.” [Politico,
4/28/11]
Former Romney Backer Al Cardenas Was Not Disappointed By The GOP Field, But Is Officially
Neutral This Time Around. “Cardenas dismissed complaints about a weak Republican field, which he
said he believes is now settled. ‘Everyone's gotten caught up in this swirl of disappointment about our
field,’ he said. ‘I'm not disappointed at all. Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty -- these are qualified people who in
previous cycles would have gotten appropriate respect and support.’ Cardenas, who backed Romney last
cycle and is officially neutral this time around, said he also expects Gov. Jon Huntsman and Rep. Michele
Bachmann to enter the race.” [Politico, 5/24/11]
David Norcross, Former Romney Backer Planned To Support Barbour And Will Now Take Cues
From Mr. Barbour. “David A. Norcross, a former general counsel for the Republican National Committee,
backed Mr. Romney in the 2008 primaries and had planned to support Mr. Barbour this time. ‘We’re all in
the wait-and-see category for now,’ he said, adding that he would probably take his cues from Mr.
Barbour.” [New York Times, 5/7/11]
Romney’s Iowa Organization Has Not Secured The Support Of Members Of His 2008 Leadership
Team. “The campaign is running a much leaner organization this year, relying more heavily on volunteers
than paid staff and consultants, said David Kochel, who is one of Romney’s top Iowa advisers again this
cycle. Members of his 2008 leadership team still assessing the field and not publicly committed to
Romney include Doug Gross, Gentry Collins and Brent Siegrist.” [Des Moines Register, 5/26/11]
Members Of Romney’s 2008 Leadership Team Have Moved On To Santorum, Pawlenty
Campaigns. “Members of his 2008 leadership team still assessing the field and not publicly committed to
Romney include Doug Gross, Gentry Collins and Brent Siegrist. Others have migrated to other
campaigns. His former political director, Jill Latham, is now with Pennsylvania’s Rick Santorum, while his
former straw poll director, Nicole Schlinger, works for Minnesota’s Tim Pawlenty.” [Des Moines Register,
5/26/11]
Former Romney Finance Consultant Switched To Pawlenty In 2012. “Tim Pawlenty expanded his
Florida finance team Thursday, adding four veterans of presidential politics in the Sunshine State… Ann
Herberger, who runs a fundraising consulting business, will be the campaign’s national senior finance
adviser. She has raised money for Bush, and for Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.
Her clients have included the Republican National Committee, Republican Governos Association,
Romney for President and McCain-Palin Victory 2008.” [Politico, 5/26/11]
Former Romney Supporter Became Chair Of Huntsman’s PAC. “Horizon PAC, the Utah-based
campaign-in-waiting operation for Jon Huntsman, set up a state-based PAC in New Hampshire this week
that Salem-based Wally Stickney will chair. What the Union Leader didn't mention, though, is that
Stickney was a key activist for Mitt Romney in the 2008 election. Stickney is from Salem, a Republican
stronghold that is critical to any candidate's efforts in the New Hampshire primary. And what's more is that
Romney won that area in his overall second-place finish in the state to Arizona Sen. John McCain in
2008.” [Real Clear Politics, 4/16/11]
Romney’s 2008 South Carolina Consultants Not Working With Him In 2012. “Romney has loads of
cash and a presumptive front-runner status. He will make his first staff announcement for the state today,
his spokeswoman said. His top South Carolina consultants from 2008 -- Warren Tompkins and Terry
Sullivan -- aren't working with him this time. Tompkins isn't involved with a presidential candidate and
Sullivan now works for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.” [AP, 5/19/11]
Former Romney Advisor Phil Musser Joined Pawlenty Team In 2009. “Pawlenty's team does include
a cadre of seasoned Republican operatives, including Phil Musser, a former Romney adviser; Terry
Nelson, atop aide in both the Bush and McCain campaigns; and Sara Taylor, a former key aide to Karl
Rove who testified during a congressional probe into the Bush administration's firings of U.S. attorneys.”
[Star Tribune, 10/2/09]
Former Romney Aide Katie McBreen Joined Pawlenty’s Finance Team. “As he ramps up his likely
2012 presidential bid, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is turning his attention to building a robust
fundraising organization…Joining him will be Deputy National Finance Director Katie McBreen, who spent
the last two years as the Finance Director for Sen. Jerry Moran’s successful race in Kansas last year.
before that she worked for Governor Mitt Romney's campaign in 2007 and 2008.” [ABC, 3/28/11]
Former Sen. Judd Gregg, 2008 Romney Supporter, Had Not Made Any Endorsement Decision.
“Former Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), the top elected official in the Granite State whose endorsement of
Romney in 2008 was seen as a pivotal moment, said in an interview that he’s firmly undecided about who
he’ll back in next year’s primary. ‘I’m listening to all the candidates and have not made any decision,’
Gregg told POLITICO. ‘It’s one of the more open fields I’ve seen over the years. There is no presumptive
favorite at this time the way there was with McCain, Bush, Dole and Bush I.’ Asked specifically what
Romney needed to do to earn his support again, Gregg, who was a national co-chair of the Bay Stater’s
bid in 2008, said flatly: ‘I haven’t made any decision.’” [Politico, 1/28/11]
Former Romney Supporters Sen. DeMint And Gov. Haley Still Undecided For 2012. “The list of past
Romney supporters now on the fence or on the other side includes high-profile figures like Gregg, Sen.
Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, as well as lesser-known but influential behind-
the-scenes players like Iowa power broker Doug Gross and Florida GOP strategist Sally Bradshaw.”
[Politico, 1/28/11]
Bob Grand, Former Romney Fundraiser, Planned To Support Daniels And Is Now Undecided. “A
core group of supporters will await Daniels' advice before getting on board with any campaign, said John
Hammond, one of Daniels' top fundraisers. This group plans to meet in the coming days to vet the
remaining candidates, said Bob Grand, who ran Romney's Indiana fundraising efforts in 2008 but was
prepared to support Daniels.” [AP, 5/22/11]
Former Florida Romney Fundraiser Martin Garcia Was For Daniels And Is Now With Pawlenty. “‘I
would have been with Mitch Daniels, but I'm very impressed with Tim Pawlenty. I'm inclined at this point
to support him,’ former Florida Gov. Bob Martinez said after listening to Pawlenty for 20 minutes. ‘I think
he can carry Florida in the primary. He has the ability to connect with people, maybe because he comes
from a humble background.’ The reception was at the home of Tampa lawyer and GOP fundraiser Martin
Garcia, a Romney backer in 2008 who had been ready to help Daniels this year. Now he's with
Pawlenty.” [St. Petersburg Times, 5/24/11]