Mitt Romney is telling donors and aides that he will decide about whether to make a third try for the presidency in a matter of weeks, according to
Politico.
If he chooses to run, Romney's campaign would be founded upon a triad of issues: helping the poor, supporting the middle class, and pursuing an assertive foreign policy. Economic opportunity and upward mobility will be the emphasis, Politico reported.
A year ago he emphatically ruled out another White House run. Those who have spoken to him lately, however, have come away with the impression that he wants to be president. The question he will have to decide is whether "he has an overwhelming desire to run for president," a source close to Romney told Politico.
If he opts to go for the presidency, he will need to show how a 2016 campaign would avoid the pitfalls of his previous attempts. There would be a new communications team. He would need to articulate his vision with greater clarity, a former Romney aide tells Politico.
The former Massachusetts governor also has to decide how to position himself.
He shares an overlapping donor and professional campaign base with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Some of those who might have gotten involved in Romney's campaign are already associated with other candidates, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Democratic analyst James Carville, who has been a Hillary Clinton supporter, says that Romney's day has come and gone. Neither demographic trends nor the economy, which looks to be improving, are going Romney's way, Carville said.
Supporters say this time the public is likely to see a more human Romney. The 2014 Netflix documentary "Mitt" improved his image and placed his Mormon faith in a positive framework. "The movie really pulled the curtain back," a Romney backer told Politico.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus appears unconvinced, however, Politico said, and Arizona Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee in 2008, is also not persuaded,
The Washington Post reported.
The prospective candidate, though, thinks he lost to Barack Obama in 2012 primarily because it is hard to dislodge an incumbent, Politico reported.
Longtime Romney supporter Tom Rath of New Hampshire is convinced that 2016 will prove more favorable. "The context of this campaign will be very different than the one we ran last time," he told Politico.
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