2008 US Presidential Election.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has formally announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination, ending an “exploratory” phase that he began Jan. 3.

Romney, in picking the place to make his announcement, chose his birth state — Democratic-leaning but politically competitive Michigan — over his home state, Massachusetts, where he overcame normally overwhelming Democratic voting tendencies in 2002 to win a term as governor.

Romney, after touring the country to test the waters for a possible presidential bid, retired as governor rather than seek re-election in 2006.

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Just about a year-and-a-half ago, Sen. John McCain went to court to try to curtail the influence of a group to which A. Jerrold Perenchio gave $9 million, saying it was trying to “evade and violate” new campaign laws with voter ads ahead of the midterm elections.

As McCain launches his own presidential campaign, however, he is counting on Perenchio, the founder of the Univision Spanish-language media empire, to raise millions of dollars as co-chairman of the Arizona Republican’s national finance committee.

In his early efforts to secure the support of the Republican establishment he has frequently bucked, McCain has embraced some of the same political-money figures, forces and tactics he pilloried during a 15-year crusade to reduce the influence of big donors, fundraisers and lobbyists in elections. That includes enlisting the support of Washington lobbyists as well as key players in the fundraising machine that helped President Bush defeat McCain in the 2000 Republican primaries.

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Republicans Mitt Romney and Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record) promoted their presidential campaigns before nearly 3,000 party activists at the Michigan GOP convention Saturday.

Romney reminded the crowd that he grew up sharing the Automotive News each morning with his father, George, who headed American Motors Corp. before serving as Michigan’s governor from 1963 to 1969.

The younger Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, 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 in opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage and in favor of tight controls on illegal immigration. “It’s time for Republican principles to come back to Michigan again.”

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NASHUA, N.H. - Republican Mike Huckabee said Friday that marriage shouldn’t be treated as an experiment in response to questions about whether Vice President Dick Cheney’s lesbian daughter should have the right to wed.

The former Arkansas governor, who is seeking the GOP presidential nomination, said heterosexual marriages face enough challenges without adding new configurations to the mix.

“Taking on a new definition doesn’t make sense right now,” Huckabee said in an interview with The Associated Press after speaking to business leaders in New Hampshire.

Mary Cheney, 37, announced in December that she and her partner of 15 years, Heather Poe, were starting a family. She has not said how the child was conceived. The baby is due in the spring and will be the vice president’s sixth grandchild.

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BISMARCK, N.D. - A movement to essentially dump the Electoral College and give the presidency to the winner of the nationwide popular vote has been defeated in North Dakota and Montana, after opponents said it would eliminate any influence states may have in presidential contests.

Thursday’s votes represented the first legislative setbacks this year for the National Popular Vote plan, said spokeswoman Breeanna Mierop. It is a proposed agreement among states to cast their electoral votes for the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote.

“If you look at the population trends … if this were to become the law, our presidential elections would be controlled by the vote in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston,” said North Dakota state Rep. Lawrence Klemin, a Bismarck Republican. “They would decide who the president was, not the rest of us.”

North Dakota’s House voted 60-31 Thursday to defeat the plan. In the Montana Senate, it lost 30-20.

National Popular Vote supporters say they have legislative sponsors in 46 states, and have introduced legislation in 22. The Colorado Senate approved the measure last month. The California legislature endorsed the agreement last year, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed it.

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Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has led the field for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination in most polls of GOP voters. His popularity among the party’s mainly conservative base is founded on his image of standing tall and reassuring New Yorkers following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on their city, though some voters also know him for his tough-on-crime persona and efforts to rein in government spending.

But there are aspects of Giuliani’s record; his views, especially on volatile social issues; and his personal past that do not thrill conservative activists. In fact, some are inalterably opposed to him and vow to block his efforts to obtain the Republican nomination.

Though this potential downside has gotten some mention in the media, Giuliani has gone relatively unscathed by political opponents so far. But that is likely because he appeared to be genuinely uncertain about whether to plunge into a Republican nominating process that for decades has favored strongly conservative candidates.

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Former Vice President Al Gore (D) leads former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R) 52% to 38% in the latest Rasmussen Reports Election 2008 poll. A month ago, Gore had an 11-point lead over Romney.

Senator Hillary Clinton (D) has upped her lead over Romney to double digits. She now leads the Republican Presidential hopeful 51% to 41%. A month ago, the former First Lady was ahead of Romney 49% to 41%.

Clinton leads all Democrats in polling for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Gore, who has not indicated whether he will run, is currently tied for third with former North Carolina Senator John Edwards (D). Polling for the Democratic nomination is updated each Monday.

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Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has what it takes to win the presidency in the 2008 general election, but does he have what it takes to become the Republican nominee? The challenge is to convince Republicans they must select a candidate who can win the general election and govern successfully. Like my article three weeks ago endorsing Gov. Bill Richardson, D-N.M., for the Democratic nomination, I will once again focus on why our political parties must reject presidential candidates from the Senate, focusing instead on candidates with executive experience, a successful record of accomplishment and crossover appeal.

Badger Herald

The Chicago Tribune seems to fancy itself in the role of kingmaker when it comes to knocking candidates out of political races, and helping hometown politicians it favors to win. Its latest effort has targeted Rudy Giuliani, who all but officially entered the race for the Republican nomination for President in 2008 this week. Within two days of his announcement, a lengthy “investigative” piece appeared on the front page of the paper trashing Giuliani for his high speaking fees and some questionable business clients in the years since he entered the private sector.

American Thinker

DETROIT - Presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Wednesday made a direct appeal to Republican fiscal conservatives, arguing that the president should veto any spending bill that exceeds its targets.

Speaking to the Detroit Economic Club, the former Massachusetts governor addressed an issue that has riled the GOP base, who contend that the party’s loss of power last November was based, in part, on excessive spending.

“When our party has been in charge, we didn’t distinguish ourselves on spending restraint,” Romney said. “That’s got to change — and it would in my administration.”

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