A number of GOP leaders and office holders are beginning to express their support for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney– who now is considered to be far and away the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
Mulvaney said former Gov. Mitt Romney's best chance to win election is to run as "viable alternative" to President Obama
“I said all along that I supported him in 2008. I did not support him this year; I was writing economic policy for Governor Perry who I still think was a tremendous candidate,” he said, ”He suffered obviously in the debates; but I think we have a really, really good Republican candidate.”
Mulvaney says, if he can offer one bit of advice for Romney, it is to do what candidate Ronald Reagan did in 1980 when he ran against incumbent President Jimmy Carter. “All Mitt Romney has to be is a viable alternative. If the race becomes a referendum on the last four years, If you’re better off than you were four years ago then vote for the president, if you feel you’re not better off than you were four years ago then vote for the other guy. No question about it, Mitt Romney is a viable alternative.”
President Obama leads Romney in a number of national polls, with huge support from women and minorities. Mulvaney says Romney has more than enough time to make up ground to win the White House In November. “I think we’ve as good a chance as we are going to have. Keep in mind Ronald Reagan was down about 20 points in September of 1980. This race will not be decided for the last 30 to 90 days.”
Anne Eller of Greenwood affiliate WCRS contributed to this report
