Mitt Romney: 'I feel like we put it all on the field'

Mitt Romney said Tuesday night that he had finished writing his victory speech on the flight returning to Boston for his election-night rally — but hadn't yet penned a possible concession speech.

"It's about 1,118 words. I'm sure it'll change before I'm finished because I haven't passed it around to my family and friends and advisers to get their reaction," Romney said, according to The Associated Press. "But I've only written one speech at this point."

The Republican presidential nominee added that he felt "like we put it all on the field" in his final push for votes, which included previously unplanned stops to field offices in the suburbs of Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

"We left nothing in the locker room," Romney said. "We fought to the very end and I think that's why we'll be successful."

Romney also spoke wistfully of his parents; the Republican nominee's father, George Romney, himself had presidential aspirations.

"I think about my dad from time to time. And my mom. I sure wish they were around to be part of this," he said. "I hope they're able to watch, in their own way."

As Romney landed in Boston, top aides began highlighting some encouraging signs from early voting and exit polls. Staffers said they were particularly encouraged by news that voting was outpacing 2008 results in the suburbs surrounding Cleveland and Richmond — two core areas where Romney will need to post strong showings to counterbalance the president's performance in the cities themselves.

Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul also tweeted exit polls showing 60 percent of voters saying the economy was their top issue. Saul said because recent polling had given the Republican nominee an advantage on the issue, that appeared to be a good sign heading into election night.
Romney himself emphasized that he sincerely believed his campaign would prevail, pointing to a spontaneous gathering of supporters outside the airport in Pittsburgh he had just departed.

"You know intellectually I’ve felt we’re going to win this and have felt that for some time but emotionally just getting off the plane and seeing those people standing there — we didn’t tell them we were coming, we didn’t notify them when we’d arrive — just seeing people there cheering as they were connected emotionally with me and I not only think we’re going to win intellectually, I feel it as well," Romney said, according to the New York Times.

Romney added that he was "very proud of the campaign that we've run."

"No campaign is perfect. I’m sure like any campaign people can point to mistakes. But that’s the mark of anything that’s produced by human beings," Romney said. "Our team has been very solid. We have not had the kind of infighting that’s reported to have occurred in other campaigns. We’ve worked well together our campaign team us. And we’ve gotten our message across. I am very pleased."

Romney went on to praise his running mate, Paul Ryan, saying that he enjoyed his time with the Wisconsin lawmaker on the campaign trail. And he hinted that there could be a new addition to the Romney family if he prevails.

"If, assuming I win, one of the benefits would be to get another Weimaraner," Romney said.

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