Mitt Romney
Mitt RomneyReuters

Mitt Romney on Monday hinted he intends to reset American government if he is elected by tapping an old hand from the Bush administration to lead his "transition team."

Romney picked Mike Leavitt, who served as Health and Human Services secretary for George W. Bush, to lead his team should he win the 2012 presidential election.
It's not unusual for candidates of both parties to prepare in advance for that short time between Election Day and Inauguration Day. However, Leavitt is starting to plan for a possible transition earlier than Obama's team did in 2008.
The Romney campaign cited the Presidential Transition Act, a law revised in 2010, that encouraged early planning for possible White House leadership changes in support of its move.
Observers say the early move, prior to Romney's formal nomination at the GOP convention in August, is intended to signal to the party base that he is confident he can win despite a deeply divisive primary season.
Polls show a tight presidential race with President Obama leading Romney by an average of 1.6 points, according to the most recent surveys.

So far, Leavitt has acted as a "low-profile advisor" to GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, higher profile advisors to President Barack Obama and Romney spar over issues of job creation and the health law. 

Analysts note Leavitt and Romney have ties dating back over a decade, to when Leavitt - who was governor of Utah from 1993 to 2003 - tapped Romney to help turn around the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

“He’s one of the few people (in Utah) who can call (Romney) directly and get him,” a source close to both the Romney campaign and Leavitt, who now runs a national healthcare consulting firm, told Utah policy.

Choosing Leavitt to lead what the Romney campaign has dubbed "Project Ready," they say, also sets the tone for the kind of staff and cabinet Romney intends to put together should he win the White house.

Those chosen to head presidential transition teams frequently go on to fill senior positions in the White House, or cabinet posts.