Elections

Romney sounds like GOP nominee in Illinois victory speech

Michael Volpe Contributor
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SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – Following a decisive victory in Illinois, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney sounded like the Republican nominee as he used his victory speech to take aim at his potential opponent in November, President Barack Obama.

In a speech that sounded similar to a campaign speech he’d made a day earlier at the University of Chicago, Romney again highlighted his years of business experience and presented himself as a champion of economic freedom, while presenting President Obama as a champion of big and intrusive government. (RELATED: Romney takes campaign to Obama’s home turf in Chicago)

“For twenty five years, I lived and breathed business, the economy, and jobs,” he told supporters. “I had successes and failures. Each step of the way, I learned what made our system so powerful. You can’t learn that teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago.”

Romney continued with his attack on the president.

“Three years of Barack Obama have brought us fewer jobs and shrinking paychecks,” he said, continuing, “This president doesn’t understand the genius of the American economy. The American economy is fueled by freedom. History has shown that freedom has consistently lifted people out of poverty.”

“It is not the government that creates prosperity. Prosperity is created with free markets and free people. “

Romney went on to assert that even legendary visionaries like the Wright Brothers and Thomas Edison would have had their vision stifled by the burdensome regulations of the Obama administration. (RELATED: Romney claims decisive victory in Illinois)

Romney was introduced to the crowd by his wife, Ann. Prior to introducing her husband, she told the crowd they’d be celebrating their forty-third wedding anniversary the following day. That drew a round of applause from the crowd of about 1,000 supporters at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center, in Schaumburg, Ill., a suburb about 25 miles northwest of Chicago.

Supporters who spoke with The Daily Caller following the speech were generally impressed with the message of economic freedom that Romney laid out in his speech. Angel Garcia is vying to be a Romney delegate at the Republican Convention, and he said that it was not only the right message, but it’s the only one that will win.

“I think that’s exactly how he has to frame the issue. I believe in it [economic freedom], number one. I think he also has to frame it in the right way, and he’s doing that,” said Garcia.

A supporter that would only identify himself as Yousef told TheDC that economic freedom and small government are philosophies he believes as well.

“I am a strong supporter of small government, so we’ll see,” Yousef said.

Yousef stated that he likes Romney’s professional background and economic message, and believes Romney to be a person of integrity.

The Republican race now heads south as the next Republican primary will be held on Saturday in Louisiana. Current polling has former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum ahead in that state.

While the race for the Republican nomination hasn’t yet been decided, Romney’s Illinois campaign chairman, Dan Rutherford, summed up the sentiment of supporters in the crowd when he said, “Thank you, Illinois, for helping Mitt Romney take a big step to the nomination.”