BOSTON, March 15 (UPI) -- Mitt Romney, wrapping up two years as Olympic chairman in Salt Lake City, returns this weekend to Massachusetts where he is expected to announce whether he will seek the Republican nomination for governor.
While supporters claim enough support to get him on the ballot in a primary challenge to acting Gov. Jane Swift, a poll Friday indicated he would easily defeat her and whomever the Democrats nominate for the fall's general election.
The Suffolk University poll predicted that if Romney runs, he would defeat Swift 74 percent to 18 percent.
Even if Romney does not run, Swift appears to be in trouble. The poll, conducted March 8-11 with 420 likely voters found Swift losing to the top three potential Democratic candidates -- former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich, state Treasurer Shannon O'Brien and state Senate President Thomas Birmingham.
Romney, on the other hand, would defeat all three.
The poll, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.75 percent, found the Democratic primary race too close to call for either Reich or O'Brien, with Birmingham far behind.
Romney plans to return to his home in Belmont, Mass., on Sunday after closing ceremonies Saturday for the Paralympic games in Utah. He has indicated he will make his decision known days after that.
Romney is to appear at a welcome-home celebration on Monday afternoon on the Belmont town common, and reportedly could announce an official decision by Tuesday.
Organizers of a draft Romney movement, Jon Spampinato and Denise Jillson, announced Thursday they had secured the support of more than 600 delegates to the April 3 Republican state convention, giving him the 15 percent he needs to get on the September primary ballot.
Spampinato said he talked with Romney earlier this week and found him "excited" about the draft movement.
"He's not displeased with our activities, that's for sure," Spampinato said.
The Boston Globe reported Friday that Romney had signed on Michael Murphy as his chief consultant in case he decides to run. Murphy worked on U.S. Sen. John McCain's presidential bid.
Meanwhile, Massachusetts Democrats reportedly were gearing up for a campaign that may tarnish Romney's popular image as a result of the recently concluded Olympics.
"If he is a candidate, we'll engage him immediately," state Democratic Party Chairman Phil Johnston said in Friday's Boston Herald. "We're going to be very aggressive in informing people about his issues, his flip-flops and his background."
Romney, in his only previous bid for elective office, lost to U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., in 1994.
