Romney Raises Big Money, Still May Self-Finance

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney hit a $10.25 million home run in Las Vegas with his supporters Monday raising that amount in a single-day phone-a-thon. Still, the potential Republican presidential candidate may pour some of his personal wealth into a run for the presidency, The Boston Globe reported Tuesday.

“That’s counsel I’m going to keep with Ann and myself, and that’s all,” Romney told the newspaper, referring to his wife. “So I can’t give you any more update than that. We’re just going to keep that to our own counsel.”

Romney used $42 million of his own money during his 2008 presidential run. A wealthy rival for the GOP nod – former Utah Gov. John Huntsman – has already said that he doesn’t plan to use his own money for a presidential bid.

“If we were to get in the race – no self-financing,” Huntsman said recently in South Carolina. “Unless you can raise it legitimately, you’re not going to win.”

Romney also talked for the first time about the decision of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee not to pursue the presidency.

“I took that news with mixed emotions,” Romney said. “On the one hand, I’m happy to not be facing a tough and effective competitor in Mike. But on the other hand, he’d be a veteran and we’d have good times together. And I’ll miss him on the campaign trail.”