Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is creating a buzz in southern Vermont, where the former Massachusetts governor is beginning preparations for next month’s debates.
Romney will spend the next three days at the secluded residence of his former lieutenant governor Kerry Healey in Brownsville, preparing for his debates with President Obama.
The town of Windsor provides police coverage for Brownsville. But in this bluest of blue states, Town Manager Tom Marsh doesn’t expect Romney to make any public campaign appearances.
"I would hope that he’d keep a low profile during the democratic convention, but if he shows up in town we are apolitical when it comes to visitors to Windsor and spending their money," Marsh said in a phone interview Tuesday. "We’ll take it from any political party."
Marsh says if the Romney campaign was looking for a quiet place to begin its debate preparations, this mountainous, green corner of the world certainly fits that description.
Romney’s motorcade, en route to Healey’s home Tuesday morning, got briefly waylaid by a tractor.
The Romney campaign says Senator Rob Portman of Ohio will reprise his role as Obama, after playing the president in debate rehearsals in 2008.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.