Mitt Romney announces 2012 presidential exploratory committee

SALT LAKE CITY — Mitt Romney announced Monday he is forming an exploratory committee for a 2012 presidential run, a key step towards what would be his second White House bid.

"I think Romney has decided, 'Let's have at it, let's get in there,''' said Kirk Jowers, head of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics and a longtime Romney supporter.

Romney is widely seen as the frontrunner for the 2012 GOP nomination after losing to Arizona Sen. John McCain in the 2008 primaries. Having an exploratory committee allows him to raise money directly for another presidential bid.

That no doubt will include plenty of money from Utah, where fellow Mormons and fans of Romney's running of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City contributed millions of dollars to his 2008 campaign.

"He's got a great base of support here," said John Miller, a Salt Lake financier and a top fundraiser for Romney is 2008. "Utah played a significant role in the financial side of the equation. I expect we'll do a similar role this time."

So far, the only other major GOP contender to establish an exploratory committee is former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, has already announced he's seeking a second term.

But there's a long list of potential Republican candidates, including Rep. Michele Bachman, R-Minn., a tea party favorite; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich; and even developer Donald Trump, star of TV's "Celebrity Apprentice."

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., who steps down later this month as U.S. ambassador to China, is also weighing a run for president, a prospect that is attracting increasing national attention.

"Right now, Romney probably feels pretty good about how the Republican primary is shaping up because he looks like the grown-up in the room," said Matthew Wilson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Wilson noted that Romney's announcement comes as the nation's attention is focused on the nation's growing deficit. A showdown between Republicans and Democrats over cutting federal spending nearly shut down the government last week.

"He perceives his strength to be economic policy," Wilson said of Romney. "A public discussion about budgets and about fiscal priorities works pretty well for him"

Indeed, Romney emphasized his business experience in a video posted to his website, mittromney.com, announcing his exploratory committee early Monday afternoon.