Why else would he be in South Carolina? When Governor Mitt Romney delivers a major speech to South Carolina Republicans Monday, many party activists there will listen with a key question in mind: Can a Massachusetts governor, with nuanced positions on gay rights and abortion, appeal to conservative Southern voters?
The speech, which some view as Romney's first step toward a bid for the White House, is expected to draw hundreds of GOP members to Spartanburg, including most of the state's Republican elite. South Carolina holds the first major Southern presidential primary.
Romney supporters have spent months quietly easing the way for his introduction to the key state, donating lavishly to GOP candidates and county committees. South Carolina political observers suggest he will arrive to a warm and open-minded audience.
''It stands to reason that folks will probably ask themselves, 'OK, here's a governor from Massachusetts, he could potentially be a presidential candidate, so let's size him up,' " said Luke Byars, executive director of the South Carolina Republican Party, who will attend Romney's speech. ''If you ask me point blank if a candidate is for civil unions and is lukewarm on abortion, I would tell you it's hard and would take a heck of a campaign and a tremendous candidate to overcome those obstacles. Because those are obstacles."
Still, some observers say Romney's devout Mormon faith and experience in the governor's office, at the Salt Lake City Olympics, and in corporate boardrooms will play well among South Carolina's Republican voters.
''He's conservative; he's articulate; he's nice looking," said Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition of America and a native South Carolinian who believes Romney's potential as a candidate is immense. ''I think it's a little early to tell. A lot can happen between now and the primary, but I think it's very smart of him to come to South Carolina. It's so important to the presidential election."
Rick Beltram -- chairman of the Spartanburg County Republican Party, which is hosting the President's Day event -- said Romney's position of leadership in a liberal state could force him to work harder than some other national Republicans to establish his conservative credentials.
In addition, Romney's recent announcement in The New York Times that he would oppose human embryonic stem-cell research that involves therapeutic cloning was noticed among South Carolina Republicans, and some say it will bolster his image among abortion opponents.
''When I first announced that Romney was going to be our speaker, some people did come up to me and said they were a little troubled because they feel he's prochoice," Beltram said. ''This stem-cell research article that came out in the New York Times, from the South Carolina perspective, was very good, and the timing only a few days before coming to South Carolina was very good."
(part 2 cont'd here:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/02/18/activists_focusing_on_romney_in_sc?pg=2 )
