With Florida Win, Romney Starting War of Attrition

Mitt Romney rolled through Florida’s critical primary Tuesday as the former governor handedly beat his major opponent Newt Gingrich, as well as crushing other contenders Rick Santorum and Ron Paul.

The victory, paramount in importance for Romney after losing South Carolina, was a result of a well organized campaign team, millions of dollars in television ads, a strong debate performance last week, and most importantly an aimless Gingrich operation.

Gingrich and his team made many contentious statements in Florida and then failed to back them up in a highly viewed, nationally televised debate. Furthermore, Florida is a more moderate and conciliatory state than South Carolina, which played in Romney’s favor.

This win all but ensures a Romney nomination, but in no way does it end the campaign season. Gingrich and Santorum do not have the personality to leave a race until the last possible minute, and Ron Paul has promised to stay in until the convention. Much like General Ulysses S. Grant was forced to institute his War of Attrition on the South during the closing months of the American Civil War, so too will the Romney team be forced to grind out the next few months with highly critical tactics and heated rhetoric against his Republican adversaries.

After winning New Hampshire, Romney set his sights on Obama and focused on attacking the President instead of Gingrich, Santorum, or Paul. This approach led to the loss in South Carolina which revitalized Newt’s whole campaign. The mistake of easing up on his competition will not be made twice.

Mitt will continue sharp attacks on Gingrich’s more brazen plans (having a 13,000 person colony on the moon within a decade, for example) while also condemning the former Speaker’s gnarled past. He will also utilize his superior fundraising capabilities to bombard every state with costly, effective ads.

This strategy will win Romney the nomination. Unfortunately, he’ll be the only winner.

The Republican Party is already quite fractured and unhappy with Mitt being the consensus pick. Divisive tactics against other Republicans over the next few months will only cement the wide-ranging distaste for the former CEO and Massachusetts Governor.

Eventually, Mitt’s War of Attrition will yield the results he’s happy with, but the casualties along the way will ultimately hinder his march to the White House.

- Kit

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February 2nd, 2012 | Dan | Comments Off |