Romney argued that point, but not another, agreeing in a television interview that he had made a mistake by refusing to release his tax returns before the South Carolina vote. “If it was a distraction, we want to get back to the real issues in the campaign — leadership, character and vision for America, how to get jobs in America, and how to rein in the excessive scale of the federal government,’’ he said.
The former Massachusetts governor, who made millions in business, said he will make his 2010 return and an estimate for 2011 available online on Tuesday.
The decision marked a concession, as if one were needed, that Romney had stumbled on his way through South Carolina, a state where he led handsomely in the polls several days before the primary.
Florida votes next, on Jan. 31, a 50-delegate contest in one of the most expensive campaign states in the country, and one that Romney can ill afford to lose.
The former governor was an easy winner in the New Hampshire primary earlier in the month. Before that, he was a close runner-up behind former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in Iowa caucuses where the vote count was so confused that he was originally announced the victor.
Despite his loss on Saturday, Romney remains the contender with the largest and best-funded organization. “Three states in now, we got 47 more to go,’’ he said, adding he was looking forward to the rest.
For all the political momentum gained in South Carolina, Gingrich made it immediately obvious that he is short on funds. He urged supporters via Tweet Saturday night to donate money, and then announced the name of his campaign website while making a nationally televised victory speech.
With their comments, both Romney and Gingrich indicated the race was a two-way competition, likely to go into the spring if not longer.
Santorum had other ideas.
