Romney is driven to find solutions to intractable challenges, some say. “He’s ambitious and believes in his ability to solve big problems,” says Doug Gross, state chairman of Romney’s 2008 campaign in Iowa.
The big problem Romney is talking about: America’s precarious economy. He wants to provide the foundation for securing good jobs so America can compete globally. This includes encouraging entrepreneurialism with “lower taxes on employment” and “immediate write-off for capital expenditures,” as he writes in his book, “No Apology: Believe in America.”
Then, there’s the timing factor. Because the pre-primary frontrunner generally turns out to be the Republican nominee, Romney’s 2008 campaign provided a solid launch for his 2012 bid, analysts say. John McCain, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush all ran once before they became the nominee
For Romney, the quest for the presidency seems to run in the family, says John Pitney, professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif. Romney’s father, George, former CEO of American Motor Corp., ran for the GOP nomination in 1968 and lost.
“It could be redeeming his father’s name. He worshipped his dad,” says Mr. Gross.
