South Carolina Republican U.S. Senator Jim DeMint downplayed speculation that he is preparing to endorse Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, saying reports were little more than “fabrication.”
“That story is a fabrication made up of anonymous sources that obviously have no clue what Senator DeMint is thinking,” DeMint spokesman Wesley Denton said. “He has said over and over again that he is not leaning toward any candidate yet and may end up not endorsing in the presidential race.”
The statement follows a report by Roll Call that the South Carolina Republican is reportedly considering endorsing the Massachusetts Republican.
“Republican operatives familiar with the DeMint-Romney relationship and privy to the conservative Senator’s private assessment of the GOP field believe Romney is the most likely candidate to receive the backing of the tea party favorite,” Roll Call writes.
Asked whether he plans to endorse Mr. Romney, the South Carolina Republican sidestepped the question, simply saying, “He’s doing really well; he looks like the steady hand in the race. I think he’s done well in the debates.”
“You can find really good things about all of the candidates. But I’m real comfortable just waiting because there’s still a lot to be determined,” Mr. DeMint added. “I don’t pretend to have that much sway. … I’ve found endorsements are only important until you make it. After that, people say: ‘I don’t agree with that.’”
The report comes as recent polls continue to show Mr. Romney as the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. A poll released Monday shows the Massachusetts Republican leading the field in Nevada. Mr. Romney has focused a number of key resources in South Carolina, which holds the nation’s second primary.
