REUTERS

WASHINGTON HE is being maligned as a ‘vulture’ capitalist who enjoyed firing workers - while amassing his own huge fortune - but rivals’ attacks on Mitt Romney’s business record may be one of the best things that ever happened to his presidential campaign.

Charges that Romney’s private equity firm Bain Capital got rich by buying and selling companies are winning the former Massachusetts governor new support from party leaders worried that the onslaught might weaken the front-runner in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

There has been little evidence to date that the attacks have hurt Romney, least among Republican primary voters. He leads in polls in South Carolina, which holds its primary on January 21, and won nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Despite his $270 million fortune, Romney has become more of a sympathetic figure to some in his party. Senior Republican figures have rallied around Romney against rivals Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry, who led some of the attacks.

“You’re seeing people who haven’t really traditionally been Romney supporters ... who are standing up and saying, ‘Well, wait a second,’ and that definitely helps Romney,” said Republican strategist Doug Heye, former communications director of the Republican National Committee.

Romney scored points over Gingrich on Friday when the former House of Representatives speaker backed down and called on a group that funded a controversial anti-Romney video documentary to either correct it or cancel it.

Comments that Romney is a “vulture” capitalist also cost Texas Governor Perry a big South Carolina backer when investment fund executive Barry Wynn switched to Romney.

“I think the time has come when we really need to consolidate and pick a winner and also make sure that we’re the party that’s going to fight and support free-market capitalism,” Wynn told The Washington Post.

Two other top state Republicans, businessman Peter Brown and attorney Kevin Hall, who had publicly voiced disappointment with the Republican field, also backed Romney this week.

The onslaught over Romney’s record at Bain also exposes his team early to questions about his business record. If he wins the nomination, Romney will have experience crafting a strong response to an attack line that Democrats are sure to count on in the general election against President Barack Obama.

“In the end, it will make him a strong, better candidate and will prepare him for the fall much better,” Jim Duffy, a Democratic strategist, said.

The conservatives’ embrace of Romney comes after months of coolness. Some on the party’s right-wing are wary of Romney over moderate positions he staked out as governor of a liberal state.

Crucially, the attacks won Romney support from Jim DeMint, a South Carolina senator popular with the anti-government Tea Party and a South Carolina kingmaker.