Romney Supporters On the Web: Early Activity
grabsJuly 13, 2006 unless otherwise indicated (previous page)       for more links see americansformitt.com
blog.electromneyin2008.com (+) americansformitt.com (+ www.romneyreport.com (+) groups.yahoo.com/group/Mitt_
Romney_For_President_2008
lawstudentsforromney.
blogspot.com (+
www.evangelicalsformitt.org (+ www.runmittrun.org (+)
(Aug. 29, 2006 grab)
coloradansforromney.blogspot.
com
delawareansformitt.blogspot.com (+ floridiansforromney.blogspot.com illinoisans4mitt.blogspot.com
illinisans-4-mitt-romney.
blogspot.com
iowansforromney.blogspot.com (+) massformitt.com (+) missformitt.blogspot.com (+)
www.ohioansformitt.com (+) www.oregoniansformitt.com tnformitt.blogspot.com (+) www.utahnsformitt.com (+)
washingtoniansformitt.blogspot.
com
www.newhampshireforromney.
com  (+) (Aug. 29, 2006 grab)

Active Romneyosphere
(Aug. 29, 2006, E.M. Appleman)-The possible candidacy of Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) has inspired more activity on the Internet than any potential 2008 candidate with the possible exception of Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI).

At the center of this activity was Ann Marie Curling, who started blogging about Romney in June 2005 at blog.electromneyin2008.com.  Born July 2, 1974 in Detroit, she grew up in Michigan, attended school in Indiana, lived for ten years in Florida, and now resides in Cadiz, KY where she is co-owner of the technology solutions company Blodgettech.  Curling notes that she has been active in politics since she was a teenager.  She supported Sen. John McCain in 2000, but, citing the issue of campaign finance reform, she writes that "this time around I do not believe he's the person for the job."  In mid-2006 Curling started to significantly broaden her efforts, building a team of contributors for the blog, and in July/August 2006 helping to start a number of affiliated state sites, a Women for Romney site, and a Spanish language site (Elija Romney en 2008).

A second early Romney supporter is Nathan Burd of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.  Burd, who has worked as a legislative staffer, saw Romney on C-SPAN's "Road to the White House" and found him "articulate, smart, funny, likeable, and, much to my surprise, conservative."  Burd started Ohioans for Mitt in late 2005 and then launched Americans for Mitt, "a grassroots online organization."

During the first eight months of 2006 many state specific and themed sites sprang up.  Writer Nancy French of Columbia, Tennessee started TN for Mitt on January 16.  The Law Students for Romney site went up on February 23.  "We hope to explore the history and career of Mitt Romney and his chances of winning the Republican nomination and the White House," David Kennedy wrote. Pete James, a young professional in Boston, launched the Romney Report on March 13, 2006.  He wrote, "I am very impressed with Mitt's speaking ability and resume, and am thinking of supporting him.  As such, I thought it would be great to keep tabs on him for myself and others, as he runs for the presidency."  A Catholics for Romney site went up in March, but was not found in July.  Nancy French and several others put together an Evangelicals for Mitt site which debuted in July.  Filmmaker Mitch Davis started RunMittRun.org which seeks to combat the ignorance about Mormanism and help get Romney elected to the White House.

Aug. 29, 2006 Quick Check of Romney Blogging Activity
Site Founding Author Started Most Recent Posting
blog.electromneyin2008.com Ann Marie Curling June 22, 2005 Aug. 29, 2006   "FRC Action Values Voter Summit"
americansformitt.com Nathan Burd generally static
www.romneyreport.com Pete James Mar. 13, 2006 August 19, 2006   "Hiatus  Hey Readers, I will be on vacation for 10 days in Italy..."
lawstudentsforromney.blogspot.com  Allan M. Bailey, David Kennedy  Feb. 23, 2006 July 26, 2006   "July News Roundup" 
www.evangelicalsformitt.org Nancy French et al. June 25, 2006 Aug. 29, 2006   "Rudy!" [YouTubeTM clip "Rudy Giuliani in Drag Smooching Donald Trump"]
State Specific
alabamaforromney.blogspot.com Karl Basham Aug. 27, 2006 Aug. 28, 2006   "Romney's Judicial Appointments and Philosophy: Jeff Fuller at..." 
coloradansforromney.blogspot.com Paul Schoeny  June 28, 2006 Aug. 4, 2006   "Mitt's Innovation Transcends the Political" 
delawareansformitt.blogspot.com Dave Burris March 22, 2006 July 17, 2006   "UPDATE: As of July 17, I will be taking up permanent residence at the Elect Romney in 2008 blog..."
floridiansforromney.blogspot.com Thomas Alan June 24, 2006 Aug. 21, 2006   "Early Voting Begins"
illinoisans4mitt.blogspot.com Jason (Chicago area) May 23, 2006 Aug. 29, 2006   "Health Care Plan Already Seeing Divedends" 
illinisans-4-mitt-romney.blogspot.com Mike Laub (myclob)  April 15, 2006 Aug. 28, 2006   "Governor George Romney of Michigan  Veteran's Memorial Building – Detroit  November 18, 1967 11 a.m. EST" 
iowansforromney.blogspot.com  Jeff Fuller May 5, 2006 Aug. 29, 2006   "Alabama for Romney Up & "Tar Baby" Still Stickin (in people's minds)" 
massformitt.com Christine Yantis Hargrove Jan. 16, 2006 July 21, 2006   "A *Positive* Boston Globe Article About Mitt"
missformitt.blogspot.com Karl Basham
Maggie MacCallan 
Aug. 17, 2006
Mar. 15, 2006
Aug. 28, 2006   "Jeff Fuller at Iowans for Romney has a great post discussing Gov Romney's record of state and distric judicial appointees..."
www.ohioansformitt.com Nathan Burd late 2005 site is static and not updated
www.oregoniansformitt.com Steve Bradford ? Aug. 15, 2006 blog posting   "Vote for Mitt Romney" 
tnformitt.blogspot.com Nancy French Jan. 16, 2006 Aug. 27, ,2006   "Looking Good! David talks politics with The American Spectator Online, in their cover story called, 'Mitt's Evangelical Breakthrough.'"
texansformitt.blogspot.com Kevin Davis July 4, 2006 Aug. 29, 2006 blog posting   "FRC Action Values Voter Summit"
www.utahnsformitt.com James Phillips ?Mar. 26, 2006 May 9, 2006 blog posting   "Governor Romney's Faith" 
washingtoniansformitt.blogspot.com Casey (We Three) April 6, 2006 Aug. 28, 2006  "go after the opponent's strengths" 
Elect Romney in 2008 Affiliated Sites w/Ann Marie Curling
www.californiansforromney.com Geoffrey Baum, Paul Miller July 17, 2006 Aug. 25, 2006   "Romney on a roll"
www.kentuckiansforromney.com -- Aug. 7, 2006 Aug. 7, 2006  "Governor Romney at the National Governors Association" 
www.michigandersforromney.com Alex Prasad, Steve Schaefer, Tim Campaigne July 19, 2006 Aug. 22, 2006   "Good news!  'Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s (R) chief of staff, Beth Myers...'"
www.newhampshireforromney.com  Matthew Cahoon Aug. 7, 2006 Aug. 21, 2006   "NH Democrats Seeing Red"
www.scforromney.com Andru, Rob, Jason Aug. 1, 2006 Aug. 29, 2006   "Romney in 2nd place in Free Republic Opinion Poll" 
www.womenforromney.org Heather Johnson July 17, 2006 Aug. 19, 2006   "Romney visits Miss.; mum on ‘08 plans"
blog.electromneyin2008.com/es José D. Pietri July 26, 2006 Aug. 19, 2006   "Receta del éxito" 

 
Copyright © 2006  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action