Romney: Heart told him he'd win, until he saw Fla.

March 3, 2013 @ 6:46 am


FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2012, file photo, Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney waves to supporters at an election night rally in Boston, where he conceded the race to President Barack Obama. Romney has emerged from nearly four months in seclusion for an interview with Fox News. He’s also scheduled to deliver his first postelection speech this month at Washington’s Conservative Political Action Conference. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File) | Zoom

WASHINGTON (AP) - Mitt Romney says his heart said he was going to win the presidency, but when early results came in on election night, he knew it was not to be.

The GOP nominee tells "Fox News Sunday" that he knew his campaign was in trouble when exit polls suggested a close race in Florida. Romney thought he'd win the state solidly.

Obama ended up taking Florida and won the election by a wide margin in the electoral vote.

Romney says there was "a slow recognition" at that time that President Barack Obama would win _ and the race soon was over when Obama carried Ohio.

Romney says the loss hit hard and was emotional. Ann Romney says she cried.

The former Massachusetts governor acknowledges mistakes in the campaign and flaws in his candidacy.

But he jokes that he did better in his second run for the White House than he did the first time around _ when he lost the 2008 nomination to Arizona Sen. John McCain.

He says he won't get a third crack at it.

Romney says his campaign didn't do a good job connecting with minority voters, and that Republicans must do a better job in appealing to African-Americans and Hispanics.

He says his campaign underestimated the appeal of Obama's new health care law to low-income voters.

But he knows that because he lost the race, it's hard to tell the GOP to listen now to what he has to say about how to improve the party's message.

The Romneys are living in Southern California now and he's kept a low profile since the election. He says "you move on" from the disappointment and that "I don't spend my life looking back."

Ann Romney says that after the election she was approached by TV's "Dancing with the Stars," but declined to join the cast.

She says she'll be turning 64 soon and "I'm not really as flexible as I should be."

The interview was taped Thursday and aired Sunday.


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Comments (171)


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  • Forrest wrote...
    When people
    August 25, 2011 7:51 pm
    realize Perry is just another Bible thumping moron who received a 'D' in college economics, they will leave him in droves. The only people who will vote for him are Tea Baggers.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    it was Romneys idea for the mandate.,
    July 4, 2012 2:33 pm
    so he didnt want to say that, but then Rupert Murdoch criticized him and said he was missing the bus. So Romney bet to Ruperts will.This is the Republican candidate. The guy who plan Obama copied before he was against ti. What a turncoating terd.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Anton wrote...
    a "D"...
    August 30, 2011 8:19 am
    With his recent statements regarding the Federal Reserve "...printing more money is akin to treason" I think Rick Perry receiving a "D" in economics is a result of grade inflation.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • C"mon Man wrote...
    Write it down
    August 30, 2011 7:47 pm
    The DNC will roll out the Bush/Texas narrative, in a attempt to marginalize him, but the voters will decide,not the media or death penalty opponents. I sat in the passenger lounge at LAX with a wonderful lady from Texas,traveling with here elderly mother and she told me that when people find out she's a Texan, they scorn her over the death penalty and W, she was just helping her Mom from point a, to point b. Guilt-by-association,wait and see.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    Perry is a non issue
    August 30, 2011 8:02 pm
    What scares the Democrats is that smart people won't vote, and the republicans will get someone in office that will do as they say, not as they do. AKA bush
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • C"mon Man wrote...
    And then there was one......
    September 5, 2011 12:35 am
    My public school language arts teacher says, do not start a sentence with and. What it comes down to is, do you want big government and a higher top marginal rate,cap-gains tax, death tax and a elimination of the home owners tax credit, or do you want to make the Bush tax credits permanent, deduct your house on your long form, and stop printing money? The choice is yours, I hear buffet tell his secratary he pays less in payroll taxes than she does, or GE who sold to iran, hide's it's money overseas,and continue to out-source.clooney,hanks, oliver stoned and penn may not have a problem with paying more in taxes, they can send more to the irs anytime, just leave us working poor alone.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CldWtrSrf wrote...
    You forgot one more important thing....
    December 29, 2011 7:36 am
    Do you want MORE war or OUR TROOPS TO COME HOME? If you love war and occupation, by all means vote for Obama or any of the so called Republicans. Or vote for the Ron Paul, who Does What He Says, unlike Liar and Chief Obama and Bush before him. Bring Them Home in 2012!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    Romney urges Obama to stop looming military cuts
    November 20, 2011 1:27 pm
    Well Mitt, why don't you want to raise taxes to support the military you unpatriotic republican.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Cut the welfare and the illegal spending.
    November 20, 2011 1:37 pm
    Eliminate the "Free" government run heathcare for illegals and welfare. Free at taxpayer expence.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Drool wrote...
    Cut the Welfare to Corporations
    December 12, 2011 8:55 am
    Eliminate the "Free" government run protection/bailout for corporations and their interests. Free at taxpayer expense
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    I agree Ha Ha
    November 20, 2011 3:35 pm
    Benefits and welfare for illegals should be stopped. Now if we could just get your conservative buddies from hiring them, the illegals would go home.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    More important to this story
    November 20, 2011 3:37 pm
    is Mitt will suck the chrome of a trailer hitch for an endorsement.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    Good jab Forrest
    November 21, 2011 7:30 pm
    Except I don't think "its the moron" and the "excop" got the joke, slow on the uptake, these republicans.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }