McCain was a naval pilot in the Vietnam War before he was captured and imprisoned in North Vietnam. “My friends, we are believed around the world to be weak. We are believed to be in decline. And that is not the case,’’ he said. “Mitt Romney and I and you believe that America’s greatest days are still ahead of us.’’
The endorsement was important for Romney’s campaign and was clearly timed to be revealed in the run-up to Tuesday’s primary in New Hampshire. McCain, who remains popular with independents here, became known as a master of the retail politicking in the Granite State during his presidential campaigns, attending hundreds of events at VFW halls, cafes, and voters’ living rooms. His win in the 2008 primary here resurrected his candidacy and staggered Romney’s.
New Hampshire has been Romney’s firewall this time, and his campaign is eager for a strong victory that will demonstrate his organizational strength and his appeal among voters in diverse places. Romney has a vacation home in the state, and voters generally share his brand of Republicanism, which emphasizes fiscal conservatism and downplays social conservatism.
He enters as a heavy favorite, but that position can become perilous in a state that likes to surprise on election night.
After months of focusing almost exclusively on President Obama, Romney’s campaign now must determine how and whether to respond to rivals.
Former senator Rick Santorum, who has also campaigned frequently in the Granite State, arrived last night after nearly beating Romney in Iowa. Santorum’s active social conservatism might not play well with broad swaths of the state, but with Michele Bachmann dropping out of the race and Governor Rick Perry of Texas largely skipping New Hampshire, there is little competition for that vote.
