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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Jim DeMint Is NOT Endorsing Mitt Romney

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  October 17th, 2011 at 10:17 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Roll Call is running a story that Jim DeMint may endorse Mitt Romney. Here’s what you need to know about it.

A number of DeMint past and present consultants in South Carolina work for Mitt Romney. I’m not sure the reporter knew just how heavily he was being spun, but he was.

The story is mostly wishful thinking by Romney consultants in South Carolina who have ties to DeMint. If you need further proof the story is bogus, consider DeMint’s own office calling the story “a fabrication.”

“That story is a fabrication made up of anonymous sources that obviously have no clue what Senator DeMint is thinking,” spokesman Wesley Denton said. “He has said over and over again that he is not leaning toward any candidate yet and may end up not endorsing in the presidential race.”

Matt Hoskins, who runs DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund, said DeMint is “looking to see who wins over the grassroots, and so far Governor Romney has not done that.”

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  • cajungirl2012

    Seems pretty desparate. When his campaign is not busy planting racist rock stories, I guess they float false stories about conservative endorsements. Dream on, baby.

  • tngal

    when I first saw it, I thought it a wee bit incredulous that Demint would back him now, knowing the Tea Partiers are not in lockstep with Romney. Jim knows he’d lose out on a lot of cash early in the game.

  • thirstyboots

    The sings have been pretty clear. Especially since he abandoned his early “I won’t endorse Romney if he doesn’t repent from Romneycare” hard stance for a very flexible “I may endorse Romney afterall”.

    I say he’ll endorse Romney in early December. After Nikki Haley. I expect the entire congressional delegation to follow suit.

  • missourirancher

    If DeMint endorse’s a Moderate from a Blue State. Senator DeMint is respected here in the “Show Me” State of Missouri as being a Strong Conservative and I hope he will “Keep his Powder Dry” until we find out what candidate is the Strongest Conservative.

  • http://www.neoavatara.com/blog neoavatara

    No way this was a Romney source. I think it was just bad reporting. The Romney campaign is many things, but not incompetent.

  • http://jeffemanuel.net Jeff Emanuel

    …then I guess the case is closed. Nobody can argue with clear singing.

  • thirstyboots

    nt

  • adamd

    I have a feeling Demint will end up endorsing Perry. Demint has said he will not endorse Romney unless he admits Romneycare was a mistake. Romney is not going to make that confession. This election is to important and will lots of up and coming superstars in South Carolina there is no way Demint is going to sit this one out. If Nikki Haley endorses Perry and he win and Demint is on the sidelines he will lose a lot of his perceived power in the state.

  • circlegranch

    Check out the number of 2010 re-election campaigns Romney supported which will trigger the endorsements from Congress, especially as Romney’s poll numbers stay around 25% nationwide. At some point in the near future, those markers will be called in. Some have already endorsed him. Romney’s PAC did the donating even though he’s on record in the past as saying PAC’s should be done away with. Oddly enough, Romney’s PAC also contributed to Rick Perry’s campaign when he fended off Kay Bailey Hutchinson (Perry won by double digits).

    Looks like Mr. Romney was for Rick Perry—before he was against him.

  • sayoung80913

    Please read and watch this extremely well written and well backed up article regarding Mitt. Forewarned is forearmed.
    http://klsouth.wordpress.com/top-posts-essays/the-romney-rino-scorecard/

  • ribeye

    Why would it be so ridiculous that he wouldn’t endorse him this time around?

    Romney has already signed into law Massachusetts health care law when DeMint endorsed him last time in ’08, so there would be no public policy reason for why DeMint suddenly has an issue with Mitt Romney’s record.

  • gekster

    because out of all the candidates, he was the most conservative in the field.
    In 012, Romney is the most liberal of the bunch.

    That arguement has not flown and never will.

  • dio55

    First bachman attacks perry then everyone else attacks perry, then everyone attacks bachman then bachman and everyone else attacks cain . there has not been one post supporting any antiromney candidate running , just the circular firing squad . NOT ONE CANDIDATE HAS GONE AFTER ROMNEY except PERRY who is now seen as such a buffoon he can never win the nomination . Bachman is seen as a Nutjob shrew and now all consrevatives have been doing is Training their guns at CAIN. who does this all help. MITT THE RINO OF RINOS ROMNEY. Marxists Socialists and Communists are rallying all over the country and we are about to nominate MITT ROMNEY!!!!. FOR HEVENS SAKE if Cain is all we have left then lets rally behind him and get the job done. if not JUST ENDORSE ROMNEY and get it over with

  • ribeye

    There were more conservative candidates in 2008 running for President, like Fred Thompson for one.

    Or if Mitt Romney really were the awful liberal that has signed into law socialized medicine, DeMint could have just not endorsed anyone at all. No one put a gun to his head and made him pick a candidate to endorse.

    So either DeMint is the gold standard for conservative principles or he isn’t, but nothing about Mitt Romney’s record has changed since DeMint last endorsed him for President.

  • wacowboy

    is if Romney is the nominee and the only one standing.

    I would venture the same for Nikki Haley.

  • wacowboy

    we are the party of stupid.

  • gekster

    Time line:

    Official Candidates for the Republican Party Presidential Nomination:( 2008) *

    Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R-New York)–On November 13, 2006, he announced that he was forming an exploratory committee. On February 5, 2007, Giuliani filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commmision

    Senator John McCain (R-Arizona)–On November 15th, 2006, McCain announced the intent to form an exploratory committee.

    Former Governor Tommy Thompson (R-Wisconsin), Announced that he had formed an exploratory committee December 15th 2006.

    Jim Gilmore (R-Former Governor, Virginia)–Gilmore announced on December 20, 2006, that he would launch his exploratory committee on January 2, 2007.

    Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts)– Formed his exploratory committee on the same day he left the Governor’s office: January 3, 2007. Declared his official candidacy on February 13, 2007.

    Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas) –Formed his exploratory committee on January 11, 2007.

    Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Colorado)–Formed his exploratory committee on January 16, 2007 .

    Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas)–Formed his presidential exploratory committee on January 29, 2007.

    Demint announces endorsement. **
    (Jan 9 2007)
    COLUMBIA, S.C. ? Sen. Jim DeMint has endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the 2008 presidential race, according to a letter the South Carolina senator is sending to state Republicans.

    Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas)–On January 20, 2007 Senator Brownback officially announced his candidacy.

    Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas)–Formed his presidential exploratory committee on January 29, 2007.

    September 5 2007 At 7:57 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday, while taping “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” for broadcast later in the evening, Fred Thompson finally said: “I’m running for president of the United States.” ***

    * http://www.historyguy.com/obamapresidency/2008_presidential_candidates.html
    ** http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,242547,00.html
    *** http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/5665.html

  • thirstyboots

    He endorsed almost two years before the election. Why the hurry to endorse a “liberal” like Romney so early?

    More importantly: DeMind never endorsed Romney as “the lesser evil” – he called Romney a conservative that would be a great conservative president multiple times. And he was boosting Romney to run even before Romney’s announcement – so he was for Romney even before Romney was running.

  • gekster

    Show where ‘DeMind’ said that.

  • sowa1

    If he is the Republican Candidate then we all should support him so Obama is OUT. No one should vote for Obama because they don’t like Romney, that is the most rediculous statement I have ever heard. four more years of Obama and we are all screwed.

  • sowa1

    Can’t stand to listen to Obama. He is sarcastic, dis-respectful, dis-honest etc. Anyone who want a Socialist Gov’t, MOVE. I cannot believe that anyone would vote for Obama because they don’t like Romney. DUMB!

  • http://theusreport.com KBDay

    For one thing, there’s a difference viewing Romney in 2008 prior to the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. There’s a differnt lens this go ’round.

    Also, the climate change issue hadn’t drawn as much attention in 2008 because the Dems hadn’t tried to pass their Cap and Trade tax bill.