Mitt Romney is taking a break from working parades and state fairs in early primary states for a campaign jaunt to London.
The former Massachusetts governor is known for his popularity with the banking industry and he’ll attend a fundraiser for American expatriates in one of the finance capitals of the world.
Romney’s visit also gives him a chance to burnish his foreign policy credentials. He plans to attend private meetings with British officials that could include some face time with Prime Minister David Cameron. The Romney camp has been largely silent on their plans, but Cameron’s office has suggested the PM might drop in on Romney’s meeting with his national security advisor, Peter Ricketts.
“It’s not a meeting specifically set up between the [Prime Minister] and Mr. Romney,” a Downing Street official told the Boston Globe. “The PM, if diary permits, will clearly try and drop in on that meeting.”
Romney has been trying to position himself as the most credible potential president among the GOP field and a head-to-head with a top world leader could help bolster his message. Talk of a meeting with Cameron also raises expectations, however, and some observers might see a snub from the Conservative leader if he avoids Romney.
In addition to Cameron, Romney might try to score an appearance with former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, whose friendship with President Reagan has made her a revered figure among Republicans in recent years.
Past presidential candidates have stopped by London for a mid-campaign visit with the Prime Minister in recent years. John McCain and Rudy Giuliani both met with then-PM Gordon Brown in the last presidential election cycle while President Obama met with both Brown and Cameron during a summer visit in 2008.
