Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney spending time, money in Alabama

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A potential presidential candidate, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, has been spending lots of money in Alabama and will soon spend more time in the state.

Romney used his Commonwealth PAC to make $143,500 in campaign contributions to Republican candidates and party organizations during this year's elections, campaign finance reports show.

Romney is scheduled to deliver the keynote speech when the State Republican Executive Committee meets Feb. 9 in Montgomery. He visited Alabama once during 2006, appearing in Tuscaloosa at dinner honoring U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.

Montgomery lobbyist Claire Austin, who is advising Romney's PAC on the Alabama political landscape, said Alabamians will be seeing a lot of Romney in the future.

"He's like a rock star. He's got it going," she told The Birmingham News.

"He's like a rock star. He's got it going,"Mitt's a big hit!

Romney's PAC contributions in Alabama were larger than those of another likely GOP candidate, Arizona Sen. John McCain, whose Straight Talk America PAC distributed $117,750 to Alabama candidates and party committees in 2006.

Can John McCain keep up?

Read the rest of the story at Kansas City Star

Kevin Davis Jr.

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