Executive Vice Chairman of the Queens GOP Vince Tabone and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Executive Vice Chairman of the Queens GOP Vince Tabone met with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney on December 14 and discussed the possibility of local organizational support for the governor’s presidential bid.

While former Speaker Newt Gingrich has surpassed Romney in recent national polls, Tabone observed that, “Governor Romney would certainly strengthen the down ticket in all important 2012 state lawmaker elections and the level of support the governor continues to gather from major donors is simply extraordinary. Many New York employers who want to see an end to President Obama’s anti-business rhetoric and policies have told me that they trust Mitt Romney to implement pro-job, pro growth policies and get the economy moving again…and after you meet with Mitt you are immediate[ly] impressed with how sensible and stable he is. You start to appreciate why executives see him as chief executive material. Mitt has done it after all in both government and the private sector.”

At this stage Queens GOP Chairman Phil Ragusa and members of his executive committee have met with Gingrich and Texas Governor Rick Perry and now Romney but have not convened to make any official endorsements yet.

The state’s presidential primary is scheduled for April 24 and slates of delegates to the convention are being assembled by the presidential campaigns in concert with state and county party organizations and campaign operatives throughout the country. Moving the primary up to April has made New York more relevant in the nomination process.