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WEST JORDAN — Many of Mitt Romney's supporters gathered in West Jordan to watch the Republican Party's presidential nominee speak to the nation. Their host for the Thursday night event was 4th Congressional District candidate Mia Love.
The mayor of Saratoga Springs, vying for a seat in Washington, felt the love from supporters after returning from Tampa, Fla.
"I went to Tampa and I had a message, and that message was from Utah," Mia Love told the crowd gathered at her campaign headquarters. "And I think the world heard it, and I think they heard it loud and clear."
Love's speech at the Republican National Convention Tuesday night vaulted her campaign to a new level.
Late last week, she started an online fundraising campaign dubbed the "Love Bomb." She had a goal of raising $50,000 — which she met shortly after her speech, and ran the total up to $200,000 Thursday.
The money will be a big help in her battle against Rep. Jim Matheson for Utah's 4th Congressional District.
"We're going to be focusing on the issues: debt, deficit issues, jobs, the economy, and a little bit of personal responsibility," Love said.
That's exactly what Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney focused on in his convention speech Thursday night. The Romney supporters attending Love's event said it's the issues that differentiate their candidate from the president.
"This is not about a popularity contest, although that would certainly help. We've seen where popularity charisma isn't always the most critical skill," said Kelly Carter, of West Jordan.
"He really is the man for the job here, because he has the financial experience to help us out of debt," said Kate Blair, a Sandy resident. "Tonight he needs to stay on message and prove that he is who he says he is."
People in this crowd certainly felt the emotion. Many told KSL News they believe Romney certainly answered doubts about whether he can connect with the American people and be trusted.
