Mitt Romney steps up campaign for Iowa

Mitt Romney signaled a new front in the battle for Iowa’s winter caucuses, brushing aside the political impact of his Mormon faith in the state’s strongly evangelical Republican ranks here and insisting that he will campaign fiercely for support from all voters.

Romney took on the issue of his faith after a voter asked whether he ought to clarify misinformation about it in light of a pastor recently calling Mormonism a cult. Romney said he felt no need to defend his faith but — much as he did in Tuesday’s presidential debate — said he counted on voters to see through the criticism.

“The great majority of American people want to select the person most capable of getting our country going again with strong values, a strong economy and a strong military,” the former Massachusetts governor told dozens of supporters gathered at the local Chamber of Commerce. “Among the things that are unique and exceptional about our country is the fact in America we recognize and appreciate differences in faith. We expect religious differences.”

He added: “I am shaped by the Judeo-Christian values which I have, and I hope those will hold me in good stead, as they have so far.”

Earlier this month, evangelical pastor Robert Jeffress introduced Romney rival and Texas Gov. Rick Perry at a religious summit by saying voters ought to support Perry because he is a born-again Christian. Later Jeffress told reporters that he agreed with the view of some evangelicals that Mormonism is a cult.

Romney’s comments came on a day when he held multiple events in the state that will hold the first caucuses next January.

“Look, I want to get the support of Iowans. I’m in Iowa. This is not my first trip to Iowa,” Romney said in Sioux City. “I will be here again and again, campaigning here. I want to get the support of the good people of Iowa. I’d love to win in Iowa.”

The statement was spurred by a question from a young man at a town hall meeting at Morningside College. The man, who said he was a Romney supporter, ridiculed the rest of the GOP field and pleaded with the former Massachusetts governor to place greater emphasis on the state.

The reason Romney’s intentions are even in question is the dramatically different course he has taken in this presidential contest compared with his first bid four years ago.

By this point in 2007, he had already spent millions of dollars in the state and had an army of staffers and operatives. When he finished second to the rag-tag campaign of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, it was an embarrassing blow.

This time, he has taken a low-key approach — the number of staffers can be counted on one hand. He didn’t take part in the Ames Straw Poll, a wildly hyped early measurement of campaign strength that took place in August. Thursday marked only his third Iowa visit this year.

Romney’s minimalist approach also contrasts with the lavish attention he has been paying to the first primary state, New Hampshire, where he has regularly campaigned (and where he announced his candidacy).

But Romney now faces different circumstances here than existed just months ago. The evangelical voters who dominate the caucuses — and who fueled Huckabee’s surprise win — have split their support among several candidates, including Perry, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. If they remain splintered and Romney can maintain his appeal to more-secular voters, a victory is possible, several political experts said.

Romney’s events Thursday felt like the kick-off of a more formal effort. Aides handed out brochures that showed a picture of a smiling Romney striding through the Iowa State Fair and that called on Washington to live within its means, “just like we do in Des Moines.”

On Thursday, Romney held three events — the town hall in Sioux City, an economic round-table with farmers, ethanol producers and others in Treynor, and the meet-and-greet in Council Bluffs.

Romney didn’t mention his GOP rivals by name, aiming his fire instead at President Obama by noting that he recently promoted his $447-billion jobs proposal on a bus tour.

“What he needs to do is to stop campaigning and stop blaming and go back to Washington and sit down with Democrats and Republicans and work on legislation that will get America working again,” Romney said. “We didn’t elect him to campaign. We elected him to lead.”

Romney touted his experience of working with Democrats while governor of Massachusetts. And he spoke of the reason he is running for president.

“I love America. We’re a unique nation; we’re an exceptional nation. I love this country. I love the principles upon which it was founded,” he said. “I believe that we have a role to pass to the next generation an America that’s strong and free, and I’m not going to die without doing everything in my power to fulfill that responsibility.”

These words struck a chord with Rich Brown, 61, an insurance broker.

“I like the fact that he loves America, because President Obama does not love America. He dislikes America, and is doing what he can to bring us down,” said the Sioux City resident, who is debating between supporting Romney or businessman Herman Cain in the caucuses.

His wife, Kristie, 58, agreed, but said Romney needed to be more active in Iowa if he hoped to have a chance here.

“He’s got to do more stuff like this, and let voters see him one-on-one,” said the retired secretary.

seema.mehta@latimes.com