Romney Faces Health Reform Issue in 2012 Race

As the one year anniversary of the PPACA nears, the mother of President Obama’s top domestic achievement — Massachusetts’ guaranteed universal healthcare delivery — will get some ink this week. Because that legislation’s staunchest advocate, once a chief executive himself — former Gov. Mitt Romney, will have to learn how to integrate his support for such a system of healthcare delivery into his platform if he is to embark on a run for the White House in 2012. He may have to consult damage control specialists to defend his Mass. health legislative record.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) “would never consider” endorsing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for president again in 2012 unless Romney repudiates the health reforms he sought as governor, a source close to DeMint said Thursday [3/17/11].

Is this much ado about nothing? Or is there political scrambling afoot? As other GOPers wishing to position themselves as bonafide competitors in next year’s primary season know all to well, it is only the fool who does not work to manufacture similarities between Massachusetts RomneyCare to the nation’s ObamaCare. DeMint, who endorsed Romney’s healthcare vision orginally, offers a glimpse into the strategies that potential GOP foes will take should the perceived frontrunner Romney throw his hat into the proverbial election ’12 ring: brand Romney’s hand in healthcare reform as tantamount to a government takeover by attacking the law’s mandate provisions.