NOVI, Mich. – Four years ago, when Mitt Romney won the Michigan primary, he crushed John McCain in Oakland County. The suburban towns here, all of them short drives north of Detroit, voted for the guy who was born and raised nearby. I stopped by a precinct in Novi, the town where Romney will celebrate (or mourn) tonight, and found a pack of Obama voters who decided to switch sides for a day.
“We voted for Obama in 2008 and we’ve been incredibly disappointed,” said Nancy Attie, a retired bookeeper and Republican. She voted for Mitt Romney, as did her husband Herman, a Democrat.
“To tell you the truth I don’t like anything about Romney,” said Herman. “He just doesn’t look right. He’s arrogant. But he’s the best one on that side.”
It took a little time to find a true Republican, Chris Tutor, who actually felt passionate about Romney. “He’s got the best economic plan and the best experience,” she said. Any qualms about him? “He’s not a native Michigander anymore. He moved away to start his career, like a lot of people do. But that’s not a reason to vote against him.”
Fred (he preferred not to use a last name, as he wasn’t all that proud of his vote) had a reason to reject Romney. “He’s a phony,” he said, “and I voted for Santorum because he has the best chance of beating him.” The best chance of losing to Obama, too – Fred planned to vote for the president in November.
