GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) – Republicans Mitt Romney, son of a Michigan governor, and Sam Brownback promoted their presidential campaigns Saturday before nearly 3,000 party activists at their state convention.
The delegates listened enthusiastically to speeches by Romney and Kansas Sen. Brownback as well as the surrogates speaking for Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis tried to dampen competition between the candidates’ supporters after he was re-elected to a second two-year term.
“I’m asking you to get involved, fight the fight,” he said, then warned: “Get along with one another.”
Michigan is crucial for Romney, who hopes to build on his ties to his native state, where his father, George, was governor from 1963-69.
McCain is hoping for a second surge of the popularity that propelled him to a 2000 win over then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush in the Michigan GOP primary.
Romney reminded the crowd that he grew up sharing the Automotive News each morning with his dad, who headed American Motors Corp. before he became governor. He said his father brought many of the lessons he learned from business to the governorship.
“He got Michigan moving again,” Romney said, before running through his stands opposing abortion, favoring the restriction of marriage to a man and a woman and backing controls on illegal immigration. “It’s time for Republican principles to come back to Michigan again.”
Brownback, who is running as the conservative heart of the party but opposes President Bush’s decision to send 21,000 more troops to Iraq, got a warm reception with his pledges to protect life and the traditional family.
He also called for wiping out cancer in 10 years and for putting more resources into alternative energy.
“Michigan is going to be a key state in getting that done,” he said, noting its efforts to encourage the production of ethanol and biodiesel.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a national co-chairman of McCain’s campaign, spoke on behalf of the Arizona senator. He said Republicans can’t win swing states like Michigan and Minnesota by appealing just to Republican voters, and said McCain already has proven he can pull in independents.
“You’ve got to have a candidate who’s not only true to our party and principles, but who can win the election,” he said. “In 2008, if we’re going to be the successful party, we have to win in states like Michigan.”
Pawlenty said McCain is the only GOP candidate who brings experience in the military and domestic and foreign affairs to the race. But U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, speaking on Giuliani’s behalf, said Giuliani showed after the Sept. 11 terror attacks that he has what it takes to keep the country safe in a dangerous world.
Americans “trust his judgment,” the congresswoman from Macomb County’s Harrison Township said. “Nobody will ever forget his calm and determined leadership.”
She acknowledged that not everyone would be happy with Giuliani’s support for abortion rights, but said he reduced crime significantly, tackled welfare reform and reduced taxes 23 times while he was mayor.
“That is conservative leadership,” Miller said, adding, “If we need to have a candidate we agree with 100 percent … there is no such person.”
Meanwhile, Missouri’s presidential primaries are a full year away, but Romney appears to have some early momentum. He was the headline attraction Saturday night for hundreds of Republicans gathered at their annual Missouri Lincoln Days conference.
The catalyst behind Romney’s growing Missouri rapport appears to be Matt Blunt, who until he became governor two years ago did not even know Romney. Now Blunt considers Romney both a personal and political friend.
Blunt has made phone calls to solicit money and support for Romney’s presidential campaign. He’s introduced other prominent Republicans to Romney. And he’s he traveled with Romney to Alaska to go fishing and to Iraq to inspect the war effort.
“Of the credible candidates for president, Governor Romney’s clearly the most conservative,” Blunt said in an interview at the Republican conference.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Kathy Barks Hoffman heads the Lansing AP bureau and has covered Michigan politics since 1986.
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Michigan Republican Party: http://www.migop.org
AP-ES-02-10-07 1734EST
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