Romney to Spend More Time on East Coast

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Former MA Gov. Mitt Romney (R), who is writing a book on the direction of the country and has signed on to be one of the national spokesmen for the upstart National Council for a New America, which aims to revive the GOP, appears to be taking a third step in possibly positioning for another run for the White House--making his primary residence at the family home in New Hampshire, the site of the first-in-the-nation presidential contest.

Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said that the former governor is in the process of opening up the Lake Winnipesaukee house this month and "will be spending more time on the East Coast."

"I have no announcements to make on residency," he said. "He just recently closed on selling his Belmont house and, as of now, he's still registered to vote in Massachusetts."

Romney has already established a beachhead in the Granite State; in March, his Free and Strong America PAC registered with the NH Secretary of State's office. The PAC made a $1,000 contribution to former GOP congressman Jeb Bradley, who won a special election for a state Senate seat that includes Wolfeboro on April 21.

Meanwhile, Romney supporters from the 2008 New Hampshire primary--which he narrowly lost to eventual GOP nominee, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)--continue to stay in touch with each other. His state campaign manager, Jim Merrill, keeps up a busy e-mail communication with Romney supporters in the state and occasionally meets with them. "We stay in close contact," said Merrill, who added that he performs this task "on my own" and not in coordination with Romney's PAC.

"No doubt in my mind that they are doing the necessary maintenance to keep their network in New Hampshire together," noted veteran Granite State GOP operative Mike Dennehy, who was a senior adviser to McCain's 2008 campaign.

Establishing residency in NH could raise expectations for Romney's performance in the state's 2012 primary, but the state is also flush with important contests in the upcoming 2010 midterm elections, where Romney could lend a hand.

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