Roemer gains allies in presidential race
Former Gov. Buddy Roemer said Wednesday that he is pinning the future of his presidential campaign on the nomination by a third party.
Roemer, 68, failed to get on the ballot in Florida and got less than 1 percent of the vote in New Hampshire’s Republican primary. Paying to put his name on the South Carolina ballot would have put a sizable dent in his campaign coffers, which total less than $500,000.
“We’re not well known. I can’t give you any glowing reports about my chances. I’m definitely an out-of-the-box longshot,” Roemer said.
Roemer hopes a chat he had Saturday with Americans Elect will make him relevant on the national scene. The group is conducting an Internet vote with the goal of making a “nonpartisan nomination” this summer.
Exactly who is behind the group is unclear. Contributions — supposedly totaling $22 million so far — to the nonprofit organization are generally anonymous.
On its website, Americans Elect purports to have been founded by “pioneers in direct technology and citizens from across the political spectrum who are worried that political divisions are keeping our nation’s big problems from being solved.”
U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, No Party-Conn., reportedly rejected an overture from the group to mount a campaign. Jon Huntsman steered clear of the group, choosing instead to forge ahead with his now-abandoned bid for the GOP nomination.
For Roemer, a former governor and congressman who has struggled to gain entry into the national political scene, Americans Elect may be his only shot at staying in the presidential race.
Roemer favors gradually raising the eligibility age for Social Security and Medicare; eliminating the federal health-care law dubbed Obamacare by critics; and ending an “addiction” to foreign oil.
He is operating his campaign with five paid staff members.
“I’m the only guy who’s running who’s been a congressman and a governor. I’m the only guy who’s running who’s not taking big checks,” Roemer said.
Roemer said he is so serious about his campaign that he turned over the management of his business to his nephew. He accepted a cut in pay to compensate for his reduced duties.
On the campaign trail, Roemer said he does not want to abandon the work he has done, but realizes he needs to attract invitations to national debates. So far, Roemer has been shut out of 22 debates, gaining more attention on networks like Comedy Central than in hard-hitting news reports.
He is limiting his campaign contributions to $100 or less in a bid to shun the big corporations that he claims grease the Washington political machine.
“It’s about money,” said political consultant Bernie Pinsonat. “Washington is about money. Being president is about money.”
Political consultant Roy Fletcher said the Harvard-educated Roemer is a great debater who speaks well and thinks fast on his feet.
Whether Americans Elect could give him leverage depends on who is backing it and how much money is behind it, Fletcher said.
Roemer said Americans Elect is not a party and would not put up any money for him. He said the organization would provide a platform. He would remain a Republican.
After visiting his ailing father in north Louisiana, Roemer plans to leave for Arizona Thursday and eventually make his way to Michigan. Arizona and Michigan, while generally not considered pivotal states in the Republican nomination process, have primaries in late February.
University of Arizona political science professor Barbara Norrander said there is little buzz about Roemer in her state.
She said little-known candidates seldom turn their campaigns into Cinderella stories.
Norrander said the candidates who raise the most money generally get the most attention.
“Some candidates have trouble even though they have reasonable records ... With Roemer’s self-imposed limits on contributions, this makes him less newsworthy,” she said.
Roemer said he is running because he is not hearing what he wants to hear from the candidates who are dominating the headlines.
“I know I come across as hopelessly naive,” Roemer said. “But the only way to stop corruption is to stand up. If you have a better way, show me, Mitt (Romney). He doesn’t. If you have a better way, show me, Newt (Gingrich). He doesn’t.”
Roemer said he has no interest in become a political commentator should his campaign ultimately fail. The former governor has done well as a guest on shows hosted by Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and others.
“Lord, no,” he said. “I love Louisiana. I enjoy Baton Rouge. My business is here ... I’ll be back.”