Romney Organizes South Carolina

Massachusetts Republican Governor Mitt Romney has assembled an impressive organization in South Carolina:

Romney's paid staffers in the Palmetto State include powerful Republican operatives Warren Tompkins and George Ramsey, former Republican Governors Association aide Nick Breeding and Greenville fundraising consultant Leslie Gaines.

He also has several others on his side, including Terry Sullivan, who served as U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint's campaign manager in 2004.Tompkins, Ramsey and Sullivan alone have a formidable resume in Republican politics, and all of them supported President George W. Bush's efforts here in 2000.

According to the Herald-Journal, Tompkins is having as much fun as he did working managing Ronald Reagan's 1980 South Carolina campaign. Tompkins says Romney's faith will help in South Carolina, despite theological differences.

The bigger hurdle for Romney will be to convince RedStaters that he is conservative, even though he is in charge of the heavily Democratic, liberal, and tax laden Massachusetts. If McCain and Giuliani split the more moderate Republicans, Romney may have his way with more conservative Republicans.