Romney Debuts Inequality Theme: ‘Rich Have Gotten Richer’

Republican 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney is debuting a new inequality theme as he considers whether to make another presidential bid.

“Under President Obama the rich have gotten richer, income inequality has gotten worse and there are more people in poverty in America than ever before,” Romney said on Friday in San Diego.

Romney is reportedly giving a potential 2016 presidential run “serious consideration.” His new inequality message marks a concerted effort to inoculate against his personal wealth as well as controversial comments he made about the 47 percent of Americans who pay no income taxes, reports The Hill.

A poll taken last week of Iowa Republicans found Romney leading the field of GOP contenders with 21 percent support.

How Romney’s income inequality theme will resonate with voters remains to be seen. Despite the fact that President Barack Obama has called income inequality “the defining challenge of our time,” Obama’s own pollster, Joel Benenson, told reporters last year he thinks “the attention on inequality is a bit overhyped.”