In a not-even-a-little-bit surprising message on Thursday evening, Mitt Romney revealed his presumably presidential plans via his Facebook page: "Making it official next week at the Scamman Farm in New Hampshire." The announcement is expected on Thursday, June 2nd, at a noontime barbeque hosted by former New Hampshire House members.
The former Massachusetts governor has been plotting a comeback since losing the GOP presidential nomination to Sen. John McCain in 2008. His advisers see New Hampshire as the launching pad for a presidential bid and they tentatively are watching Iowa, the early GOP caucus where Romney was to visit Friday for the first time this year.
Advisers said he would formally announce his candidacy during a noon barbecue at a Stratham, N.H., farm that is a must-visit stop for GOP contenders.
Romney already has formed a presidential exploratory committee, has lined up political support and collected vast sums of cash. One fundraising day alone yielded more than $10 million, so next weeks' announcement is only a formality.
Romney's full-fledged campaign has been a near certainty for months. He has traveled across the country to meet in private with donors and sound out their support. His headquarters in Boston has been adding staff.
He has learned lessons from the 2008 loss and has severely limited his public appearances. Instead of marathon days of campaigning, he so far has favored smaller events, opinion pieces in newspapers and speeches to friendly audiences.