This February, however, Romney is well-positioned to emerge as the leader of the party and the Republican front-runner in 2012. First, money is no obstacle. Romney can self-finance, but he is also a fundraising machine. He eagerly campaigned for McCain, raising record amounts for his White House run, a gesture for which he earned political capital within the Republican Party and should expect repayment at some point. He is also currently donating money through his political action committee to House Republicans who opposed the stimulus package, and he is campaigning for Republicans around the country, including James Tedisco, who is running for the former congressional seat of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who is running for reelection…

For Romney, the Republican wilderness should prove especially kind. He can lay the groundwork without the stifling spotlight of the full public attention on him. As such, he can just be Mitt Romney while he lines up the organizational support he will need to challenge Obama in four years. When he speaks this year at CPAC, he might consider telling the crowd, “It’s good to be back. This time, I’m here to stay.”