Romney Gives Up and Pulls Out of South Carolina - Conservative Voters Coming Home to Fred Thompson

Unlike Fred's Southern Strategy and his now one-on-one with Huckabee, Romney was all about IA and NH.

Romney may not play at all in S.C.
January 10, 2008
Jonathan Martin

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Mitt Romney is going off the air in South Carolina, at least through next week’s Michigan primary. And he may not contest the Palmetto State at all.
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“It’s time for Mitt Romney to give it a try.” Asked if they were committed to South Carolina, spokesman Kevin Madden didn’t answer directly. “We are very competitive across all these early primary states,” Madden said.
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Romney has touted his ability as the sole GOP candidate with the capacity to play in every state. That he is now on his way to writing off a seemingly pivotal contest reflects the extraordinary setbacks his campaign has suffered with back-to-back losses in Iowa and New Hampshire — and the pressing strategic decisions they’re now grappling with as a result of those defeats.

The shift is all the more remarkable considering just how much Romney has invested in South Carolina. Romney deployed his first staffer to the state in June 2006 and has been on the air here since Labor Day.
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A last-minute decision to move out of South Carolina offers another face-saving opportunity: The more the campaign downplays Romney's chances there, the better a solid second-place finish looks.