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Florida residents praise Romney’s ‘confident’ speech

DUNEDIN, Fla — Mitt Romney’s highly anticipated convention speech impressed at least one crucial voting block — the Thursday night regulars at Flanagans’s Irish Pub in this suburb of Clearwater..

Romney’s prime time speech touching on everything from his Mormonism to his family was broadcast in the pub, known for its Guinness drafts, fish and chips and live music.

Several patrons at the “Celtic Meeting Place” about 30 miles from the convention broke into applause at the end of the speech.

“He talked about all the important things,” said Mike Ray. “Family, taxes, and small business.”

His wife Robin Ray – a self-described “old school Catholic” – said she was happy to hear Romney talk about his Mormon religion.

“I like that he opened up about being a Mormon,” she said. “That’s important.”

The married small business owners said they plan on voting for Romney because they think he will help the middle class.

“Florida will be for Romney. People are tired of being in the dumps,” said Mike Ray.

When Romney said that President Obama’s best day in office was the day he was elected, Steve Kovasa, cheered loudly.

“Good point,” said Kovasa, 44 a New Jersey native who now lives in Clearwater.

He praised Romney’s “confident” speech but said the real test will come if he’s elected.

“We don’t need someone that can speak well. We need change,” he said.

Romney didn’t manage to convince one Ron Paul supporter.

“I probably won’t vote,” said Ryan Truman, 31. “It [the speech] was just politics at its worst.”

Florida is a crucial swing state that Romney needs to win to capture the presidency and Romney campaigned in Dunedin in January.

A recent poll showed him trailing Obama 50 to 44.