Possible Romney Run Has Utah Backers Excited, Uncertain

The prospect of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s run for the White House has supporters in Utah excited over the possibility, but uncertain of his chances of winning the GOP nomination, the Herald Journal in Logan reported Monday.

Cache County Republican Party Chairman David James said Romney will be competitive in a race for the nomination, but he stopped short of predicting Romney would win.

"It's hard to tell at this point in time because the field is so wide open," James said. "I'm highly confident that he will wind up in a top tier. Whether that top tier is two people or three people, I don't know, but it probably isn't many more than that."

James thinks Romney's "charisma, presidential appearance, and business background" will help him do well in the race.

Jack Nixon, a key fundraiser for Romney's 2008 campaign, thinks Romney stands above the rest of the field.

"I'm excited for him because I feel he's the best candidate," Nixon said. "I think he's the most qualified."

He praised Romney's "business acumen," noting he has the "economic background to help us out of this mess we're in."

Nixon believes another selling point will be Romney's role as head of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Romney is widely credited with helping turn a debt-ridden operation into a profitable venture.