Romney’s campaign seeks energy jolt ahead of Tampa GOP convention

Mitt Romney used the run-up to next week’s nominating convention to stage a high-profile rollout of his energy platform, seeking a political boost with a pro-drilling message that promises North American energy independence by 2020. Romney campaign strategist Russ Schriefer said there won’t be any letup at the convention. Already, Romney’s advisers have sought several days worth of coverage for the blueprint, first circulating it reporters under an early-Thursday embargo, followed by an energy-themed speech in the swing state of New Mexico later that day. But new polling suggests Romney has lots of ground to make up on energy, which is playing an increasingly high-profile role in the 2012 race. A USA Today/Gallup poll released Friday, but conducted before Romney floated his plan, shows Obama with a 13-point lead over his rival on energy. That's despite months of GOP efforts to tether President Obama to high gasoline prices — criticisms that put the White House on the defensive earlier this year when pump prices neared $4-per-gallon...more