Family members “demonstrate the candidate is something other than a presidential candidate,’’ said Jennifer Lawless, director of the Women and Politics Institute at American University. “A family man or family woman. Somebody who has normal interpersonal relationships.’’
Criticized for flip-flopping on issues, Romney points to his personal consistency - his 42-year marriage to Ann. An ad showcasing his relationship with his family offers an implied contrast with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who has been married three times and admitted to infidelity.
“There’s no question Romney probably has the family edge,’’ Lawless said. “Not only does his family look like a Christmas card, there are no skeletons in the closet as far as we know.’’
Four of Romney’s five adult sons have campaigned for him (the fifth is a radiology resident). Josh Romney, who traveled across Iowa during his father’s 2008 campaign, returned this year. Craig Romney, who speaks Spanish, talks to Hispanic media.
Ann Romney has maintained an independent campaign schedule for months. Despite the Romneys’ wealth, she paints a picture of a typical family, talking about her challenges as a stay-at-home mom. “As soon as I finished one batch of laundry, another load was ready to go,’’ she recalled in Salem.
Similarly, Mary Kaye Huntsman reveals personal details about Jon Huntsman, her husband of 28 years. She talks about the difficulty of leaving behind their son, then a high school football player, when Huntsman became ambassador to China. She speaks of walking with her husband through the hospital after their daughter, Liddy, was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes and seeing children battling cancer. “He said ‘We must remember what she doesn’t have,’ ’’ Mary Kaye Huntsman told voters in Whitefield, N.H.
