1. Establish trust with voters
After the bruising primaries, Romney flew solo this summer campaigning across the country on the economy and jobs. He had to defend against Obama and his allies trying to define him before voters accepted him as an alternative in the White House. Romney is more passionate than ever with an evangelical zeal to win ever since he picked House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan to be his vice president. With the pick of his running mate, Romney is beginning to forge a trust that he could run an effective administration. The RNC convention is his next high profile opportunity to continue establishing the ???trust??? connection.
2. Unveil a vision for America
Policy makes for the best politics. The fight over Medicare shook away the Democratic establishment???s effort to play ???gotcha??? politics and demonstrated how substantially influential the GOP can be if it concentrates on policy. Americans are looking for answers and President Obama has failed to provide the correct ones to get our country out of its struggling economy. While Romney has unveiled various policy initiatives, it will be important to use the convention as a launching point to showcase his plans to make America prosperous again.
3. Deliver a ???knock it out of the park??? convention speech
Americans want a president they trust and who can provide a vision forward. But they also want a candidate they can relate to or feel comfortable ???having a beer??? with. Romney???s convention speech is a great opportunity to showcase his humanity, conviction, emotion and enthusiasm to be president.
4. Win over ???Walmart Women???
November 2012 will be an election referendum against President Obama on the economy. Women historically have voted Democratic for the past 20 years. Winning over ???Walmart women,??? those with a high school diploma and a household income under $50,000, should be a must for the Romney campaign. If Romney focused on kitchen table issues such as jobs, gas prices and the economy, this could touch a nerve with women who make sacrifices for their families, shop at discount stores and do anything possible to keep the household going. This important demographic is looking for an alternative and probably doesn???t believe that it is better off today than it was four years ago.
5. Win the debates
Romney showcased his quick verbal sparring skills during the Republican primary debates. Obama knows this and will likely be a formidable opponent during the three debates in September and October. The president will try anything possible to distract from his failed record. It is likely he will renew his attacks on Bain Capital, tax returns and anything that will get under Romney???s skin. If Romney can stay focused and keep the pressure on the president to explain how his 2008 campaign of ???Hope and Change??? is now the 2012 campaign of ???Fear and Blame,??? he will win the debate every time.
