Romney Courts Tea Party

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is set to attend a Conservative candidate forum hosted by Sen. Jim DeMint, a rare excursion by the former Massachusetts Governor into Tea Party territory.

Romney initially declined the invitation to the Sept. 5th forum, citing a previously scheduled event in New Hampshire. According to the Washington Post, the Romney campaign’s efforts to rearrange the candidate’s schedule was not an attempt to go toe-to-toe with tea party favorite Texas Governor Rick Perry, who is surging in the polls. 

The forum will also be attended by Perry, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), former Godfathers’ Pizza CEO Herman Cain and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. It will be moderated by DeMint as well as Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa.)

“Having full participation from all declared candidates who qualified for the forum proves once again how critical South Carolina is in choosing the next president,” DeMint said in a statement.

Prior to attending the forum, Romney will attend a Tea Party Express rally in New Hampshire, a state he has invested considerable effort in. The former Governor has thus far received an icy response from those within the tea party. primarily due to the health care reform plan he implemented in Massachusetts.