Capping off a multi-city tour through Florida to kick off his final week of campaigning, Mitt Romney stopped along the First Coast to a capacity crowd.

“You know with energy like that, I think we’re gunna win Florida,” Romney said to start his speech among loud cheers.

Many of the speakers leading up to Romney, from RPOF Chair Lenny Curry to Congressman Ander Crenshaw and former Governor Jeb Bush focused on the role of Florida.  They see Northeast Florida as the gateway to the state, which is a must-win in the general election.  And that went hand-in-hand with their other big message- get out and vote, for them.

That’s something many in the crowd had done already, and that seemed to only further their enthusiasm to see the candidate.  In fact a number of people I spoke with had been standing in line since noon for their chance to be close to the stage.

“We’re talking about the possibility that I’ll be standing within feet of the leader of the free world, I mean that’s huge,” says Mayport resident Terri Thomas.

Yesterday’s Romney campaign stops were turned in to relief rallies from Sandy, although he officially returned to the campaign trail with this “Victory Rally” today.  Many of the introductory speakers flat-out said they were not supposed to say anything negative about the President this evening, but often then disregarded that immediately.  The comment is likely because the President remains focused on storm relief efforts.  Romney encouraged people to give what they could to help relief efforts as well. 

The crowd showed a lot of support for the storm relief efforts. But one message that really clicked was Romney’s 5-point-plan idea to “champion small business.”

“I didn’t study small business alone, I lived small business.  I know how small business works,” Romney says.

His stance was a somewhat softer approach, however, drawing a line between deregulation and his ideas.  He says he wants to get rid of excessive or burdensome regulation, but that rules are important to keep business honest. 

While he spent some time going through his other plan points as well, from balancing the budget to opening more trade in areas like Latin America, he also spoke a lot on personal stories.  He shared a story he first spoke about at the RNC about a boy scout flag aboard the Challenger.  Romney also talked about a family member with a special needs son.

It’s a side that many of the supporters I spoke with were happy to see.

“It really5 gave you a real feeling about him personally,” says Southpoint resident Tracy Winfree.

There was also a lot of support for Romney’s past of working across the aisle.  He says getting elected in a state like Massachusetts means you will work with a lot of Democrats, and the fact that he brought real change to that state proves he can have a bi-partisan appeal.

“Good things are gunna happen in America.  I’m optimistic about our future, I understand what it takes to get this country going again,” he says.

While Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan spent Monday raising concern over the next generation and the problems children now will face if the current administration moves forward, Romney flipped it around.  He says he is positive about the future and that there are brighter times ahead- under his control.

Ross Ferrell drove in from south Georgia just for this rally, and says there is nothing that could take him out of Romney’s corner.  It’s momentum that other supporters have picked up on as well.

“I think they’re on a roll here.  He looks supremely confident.  I think this man knows he has it in the bag, or he thinks he has it in the bag,” says San Jose resident Barbara Fisher.

While there are still a lot of question marks and neck-and-neck polling, supporters here say Romney had fought the battle for Northeast Florida, and won.