There's a blockbuster development in the Count My Vote citizens inititiive story as GOP heavyweight Mitt Romney, who garnered "90 percent of the vote in Utah’s 2008 presidential primary and captured more than 93 percent of the vote [in 2012]," leaps aboard the CMV bandwagon, and endorses replacing Utah's current caucus/convention system with a direct primary nomination procedure.
Here's the lede from Saturday's KSL News story, along the accompanying KSL video, which we've helpfully embedded below:
SALT LAKE CITY — Mike Leavitt, former governor of Utah, confirmed Sunday that Mitt Romney has thrown his support behind the Count My Vote effort to bring a primary election system to Utah.
In an email dated Feb. 19, addressed to Leavitt and obtained by KSL, Romney says, "I want to tell you Ann and I are supporters," he tells Leavitt, one of the organizers of the Count My Vote effort.
Romney writes he has been "pushing hard" for states to move to direct primaries since the most recent election.
"Convention/caucus systems exclude so many people," the email reads. "They rarely produce a result that reflects how rank and file Republicans feel. I think that's true for Democrats, too."
The Trib is all over this latest news development too:
Bad news for CMV opponents, wethink, as Romney contributes his Utah political "star-power" to the Count My Vote juggernaut.
Added bonus: Find the nearest CMV petition location here, Mitt Romney fans:
Do your part to fix Utah's "busted" political nomination system, which has been "hijacked by cynical power brokers and right-wing fanatics," folks.