Open Thread: Is Primary Race Making Romney More Conservative?

November 4th, 2011 11:34 AM

With a number of GOP presidential contenders hitting snags on the campaign trail, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is being pushed to take more conservative positions than his once more moderate ideas. After having been attacked repeatedly from the right for Romneycare, Romney might be shifting to a more conservative stance on healthcare.

Will taking more conservative views help Romney? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

In an op-ed in USA Today, Romney explained:

Reforms should not affect current seniors or those near retirement, and tax hikes should be off the table....

Tomorrow's Medicare should give beneficiaries a generous defined contribution and allow them to choose between private plans and traditional Medicare. And lower-income future retirees should receive the most assistance. I believe that competition will improve Medicare and the coverage that seniors receive.

What Romney writes echoes many ideas of Paul Ryan's healthcare plan, which was too conservative for Tim Pawlenty to endorse, and also ideas of a plan released by the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Do you think Romney is genuinely shifting to more conservative ideas? Will it help his campaign?