Romney Seeks To Close Deal With Tough Talk on Illegal Immigration

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney drew some of his most sustained applause in a Carroll campaign event with strongly worded comments on illegal immigration.

About 100 area residents – and dozens of state and national media – attended a Romney speech and question-and-answer session in the dining room of the Carroll Country Club as the Iowa caucuses are fast approaching.

A former Massachusetts governor who has led the polls in Iowa for months and now appears to be in a dogfight with Arkansan Mike Huckabee, Romney said he would institute employment verification and border security measures for immigrants.

He also blasted Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, for supporting a plan in that state to provide college tuition incentives to children of illegal immigrants – a contentious point in a recent GOP debate.

“I said no to drivers’ licenses to illegals,” Romney said.

This issue has emerged in the Democratic presidential contest as some candidates, notably U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, have supported such licensing for public safety.

Referencing Carroll County Sheriff Doug Bass, Romney said his proposals on immigration would make the work of local law enforcement easier.

The Kansas City Star later interviewed Bass.

Romney, a successful businessman, stressed his understanding of market forces and made the case that his credentials in this arena are superior to other GOP candidates’.

In 1984 Romney founded Bain Capital, one of the nation’s most successful venture capital and investment companies. Bain Capital helped guide hundreds of companies on a successful course, including Staples, Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Domino’s Pizza, Sealy, Brookstone and The Sports Authority.

“I like to joke that I wasn’t in politics long enough to become badly infected,” Romney said.

He added, “It’s time for someone to run for president who’s not a lifelong politician.”

Keeping taxes in line – and fighting the Democrats’ effort to move the country with what he called a “sharp left turn” – would be a key feature of his presidency, Romney said.

Romney, the father of five sons, said family values are vital to Republican success in presidential elections.

“We need to teach our kids that before they have babies, they should get married,” Romney said.

Then he added, “By the way, marriage is between a man and a woman.”

On Iraq, Romney offered brief and strong support of the current policy.

“I support our troops, and I support what they’re doing,” Romney said. “American strength is the best ally peace has ever known.”

He added, “The troop surge is working. A lot of people didn’t think it was going to work.”

In recent days Huckabee, who has been surging in Iowa polls, raised the issue of Romney’s Mormon faith – a tactic Romney’s Carroll County campaign chairman John Werden thinks will backfire on Huckabee.

“I think things like that are exactly what should not be discussed as part of political discussions,” Werden said. “The individual particulars of our faith and our churches, I think that’s for each of us to work out on our own. What should be discussed are values.”

Werden said the polls don’t mean as much as many think, as Romney’s strong organization on the ground can turn out the vote on Jan. 3.

“I think it’s going very, very well, and I think we are going to carry Carroll County for Gov. Romney,” Werden said. “Gov. Romney has been a candidate in Iowa from the beginning. He was here. He has visited many times over the last year. He participated in the straw poll. He has met with lots and lots of Iowans.”

With his large family and message of traditional values, Romney has been doing well in Roman Catholic-rich areas of the state, top Romney campaign officials said.

“We lived in Utah for two years, and we didn’t meet any Mormons we didn’t like,” said Jean Lees of Carroll, a Catholic who attended Friday’s event at the Carroll Country Club.