Romney stops in state
Romney stops in state

By Randy Ellis

Published: February 5, 2008

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney used a brief Oklahoma City stop Monday to plead for conservative votes, saying Oklahomans should elect a man who will fight against illegal immigration and same-sex marriages.

It was Romney's fourth trip to Oklahoma.

He was the only major presidential candidate to appear in Oklahoma on Monday, the eve of today's Super Tuesday presidential primary elections and caucuses.

Speaking before a group of about 200 enthusiastic supporters and news media at an aircraft hangar near Will Rogers World Airport, Romney advocated taking a hard stance against illegal immigration.

The United States should secure its borders, install an employment verification system that enables employers to identify workers who are here illegally and then sanction employers who hire illegal workers, Romney said.

Romney said he opposes allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses and said he vetoed a bill that would have allowed illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition when he was the governor of Massachusetts.

Romney said he would favor cutting back on federal funding to cities and states that have chosen to serve as sanctuaries for illegal immigrants.

"I want to strengthen our families,” he said. "Marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman. ... I believe in teaching our kids that before they have babies they should get married.”

He also said he believes he is the best candidate to improve the economy.

Romney declined to say who would be on his short list of vice presidential candidates if he is nominated, saying it would probably be a "little presumptuous” to be preparing such a list at this time.

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