Tea party activists remain wary of Romney (but Romney campaign expects Tea Partiers to surrender)

The Los Angeles Times ^ | 2011-11-17 | Paul West & Seema Mehta

[rabscuttle385]

Washington and Des Moines - Throughout the roller-coaster Republican presidential contest, one thing hasn't changed: the stubborn refusal of many tea party supporters to warm up to Mitt Romney.

The swift rise and abrupt fall of a succession of GOP candidates has been driven in part by the restless search for a Romney alternative by that group of voters, who energized the GOP's big turnaround in 2010.

"They don't trust Mitt Romney," said Simon Conway, a Des Moines radio host popular with tea party followers. "Mitt Romney can be tea party one minute, and the next minute introduce 'RomneyCare'" — the Massachusetts healthcare plan Romney pushed as governor.

Privately, Romney's campaign expects that tea party backers will rally around him once he starts winning primaries. Until then, he has made a carefully calibrated effort to embrace them.

[Ardenroad gal]

He will win with “winner take all” rules in primaries because he is a socialist and we have 6 tea party republicans running against his sorry carcass. STOP WINNER TAKE ALL and we stop socialists in OUR party!!.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

MYTH Romney, no way.

[22cal]

Preach it Jay! :)

[CSI007]

Principles before party sir.

[Terry Mross]

I did that with mccain. I will not do it again. As far as I’m concerned a rino is just as bad as a dem. In fact, it’s been proven time and again.

[basil]

You have your opinion, I have mine. If I don’t vote, I think that’s a vote for obammy.

Even if we end up with mittens, IF we can keep the House and gain the Senate, we might be able to survive as a nation.

ps—at the moment my money and my support are going to Mr. Cain.

[CSI007]

Could not have said it better myself.

Romney and the other rinos can go straight to hell.

I am done with their politics. Its either a conservative or no sale. Period.

The country is screwed one way or another Romney or Obama. Same result. SOCIALISM.

[BAW]

Don’t trust Romney. He does not a moral compass.

[CSI007]

Please don’t believe that. Romney is a socialist just like Obama. If he. Is nominated and ultimately gets elected we are so screwed regardless of what the house and senate look like. We must get rid of Obama are. Romney will not do it.

Conservatives must stand united and take back the republican party or destroy it with a viable real conservative third party.

[SaraJohnson]

The Rinos figure the Tea Party voters will rally about Romney just as they figured Romneycare was a great idea. And nominating McLame was a good idea. And bailing out the banksters and GM was a good idea. And the unconstiutional super-committee was a good idea...

The country can’t take anymore good ideas out of the Rinos.

[Othniel]

No Mittens!! My problem with Gingrich and Romney is that they are east-of-the-Mississippi people with no clue as to what happens out west. Take the whole water crisis for example: The Central Valley gets screwed over because of a non-native FISH, and the Pubbie leadership sits on their hands, instead of helping those being hurt by the man-made (Pelosi-made) water shortage. I've heard said that it is "Romney's 'turn'" to run. Bromium Sulfide. It was Dole's 'turn,' and it gave us 4 more years of Clinton!!

[MichaelCorleone]

Mitt and, by extension, Rove underestimate how sick we are of business as usual at GOP headquarters.

Recall NY 23 - 100,000 registered Republicans stayed home on election night. Why? Not playing that game anymore.

That’s the sentiment all over the country.

If obama gets reelected it’s the fault of the Republican Party bosses, not the conservative electorate.

[rockinqsranch]

Eff RINO Romney.

I think he’s like so many of the Libs that want to have the power to let’s say adjust things for personal gain. To “H” with America, the Constitution, the people. Power, and payoffs are more important to Libs, and RINO’s I believe.

It’s what I see happening with the Leftists, and the RINO’s.

[JRandomFreeper]

We must take back the Republican party from the bastards who have commandeered it,

Ummm... No. I won't. I don't care about the Republican Party. Anymore than I care for the Whig party.

I do care about principles, and I WON'T VOTE FOR ROMNEY, PERIOD, PARAGRAPH, TURN THE PAGE, AMEN.

I hope I was clear enough, and you aren't confused about my position on the subject.

/johnny

[cva66snipe]

Note too Romney’s campaign... When hell freezes over I will vote for Romney and not one second before. If Romney wins the GOP primaries and is nominated I will vote for a more suitable Independent.

[GingisK]

(but Romney campaign expects Tea Partiers to surrender)

Mittwitt, I will write in somebody else before I vote for you. That is a promise I will keep.

[JRandomFreeper]

I won't. Ever. It is interesting to note those that are willing to compromise their principles for supposed gain, which never appears.

I'll stand and die on principle. I'm anti-abortion, pro-gun. He's neither. So I won't vote for him. Ever.

If that means I die in a concentration camp... ok. But they will need to bring a lunch, because it will be a job to get me there.

/johnny

[af_vet_rr]

DEADLY advice. We must take back the Republican party from the bastards who have commandeered it, NOT create a "third" party which will ensure Democrat rule till the cows come home.

If Mittens gets the nomination, I will not support the GOP.

[muddler]

We cannot let that happen.

[Sun]

“The MSM pushes out that drivel.”

Plus, MSM is trying to destroy each GOP candidate, one at a time, but they don’t touch Romney.

Is MSM going to pick our candidate again?

imo, only if we LET them.