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'''Willard "Mitt" Romney''' (born March 12, 1947), Republican governor of Massachusetts and wealthy U.S. businessman, is best-known for his run as a serious contender during the [[2008 Presidential Election]]. If he had been elected, he would have become the first [[Mormon]] president. His father [[George Romney]], a governor of Michigan, was a potential candidate in the 1960s.  

'''Willard "Mitt" Romney''' (born March 12, 1947), Republican governor of Massachusetts and wealthy U.S. businessman, is best-known for his run as a serious contender during the [[2008 Presidential Election]]. If he had been elected, he would have become the first [[Mormon]] president. His father [[George Romney]], a governor of Michigan, was a potential candidate in the 1960s.  

Before entering politics Romney was an established businessman in [[Boston]], having served as CEO of Bain & Company, a management consulting firm. His political start began during the financially unsteady 2002 Winter Olympics. Romney became President and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee and quickly made the games a huge success. He gained popularity in Massachusetts, a state known for its tepid [[Republican]] support, and became governor in 2002. His record as governor demonstrated his financial skill, but often was at odds with the state's voters on social issues.

Before entering politics Romney was an established businessman in [[Boston]], having served as CEO of Bain & Company, a management consulting firm. His political start began during the financially unsteady 2002 Winter Olympics. Romney became President and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee and quickly made the games a huge success. He gained popularity in Massachusetts, a state known for its tepid [[Republican]] support, and became governor in 2002. His record as governor demonstrated his financial skill, but often was at odds with the state's voters on social issues.  

 

Romney served one term as governor of Massachusetts (2003-2007), with a generally [[conservative]] record that included balancing the budget every year of his administration with no tax increases and increasing employment. However, he did recieve critisms from conservatives for supporting moderate fee increases and creating and the nation's first universal healthcare program. During his 2002 gubernatorial campaign he supported [[abortion]], his views evolved and would later take [[pro-life]] positions such as vetoing emergency contraception and vetoing [[stem-cell research]] that would allow cloning of human embryos.  

During his campaign for the Republican nomination in 2008, Romney was widely supported as a staunch conservative and ran on his business experience in the private sector. Romney fought a rough battle against Senator [[John McCain]] in [[Florida]], [[Michigan]], and other key states, but large losses on the Super Tuesday primaries ended his campaign. Romney dropped out of the race and endorsed Senator John McCain on February 14, 2008. His name was circulated as a potential running mate for McCain as their relationship improved.

During his campaign for the Republican nomination in 2008, Romney was widely supported as a staunch conservative and ran on his business experience in the private sector. Romney fought a rough battle against Senator [[John McCain]] in [[Florida]], [[Michigan]], and other key states, but large losses on the Super Tuesday primaries ended his campaign. Romney dropped out of the race and endorsed Senator John McCain on February 14, 2008. His name was circulated as a potential running mate for McCain as their relationship improved.

From 1978 to 1984, Romney was a vice president of Bain & Company, Inc. a worldwide management consulting firm, and in 1984, Romney co-founded a spin-off called Bain & Company. He invested in or bought many well-known companies such as Staples, Brookstone, Domino's, Sealy Corporation and Sports Authority.  Critics say he advised corporations to cut their U.S. taxes by reincorporating in Caribbean tax havens such as the Caymen Islands, while maintaining their operations in the U.S.

From 1978 to 1984, Romney was a vice president of Bain & Company, Inc. a worldwide management consulting firm, and in 1984, Romney co-founded a spin-off called Bain & Company. He invested in or bought many well-known companies such as Staples, Brookstone, Domino's, Sealy Corporation and Sports Authority.  Critics say he advised corporations to cut their U.S. taxes by reincorporating in Caribbean tax havens such as the Caymen Islands, while maintaining their operations in the U.S.

==2008 Presidential Campaign==

==Record as Governor==

 

As a presidential candidate Romney sought the support of the business community and social conservatives. He reversed moderate positions on abortion and gay rights to take a hardline conservative position on them, and on opposition to illegal immigrants. Opponents charged he changed too often. Romney was a leader in fund-raising, augmented by over $35 million from his own fortune. He has sponsored by far the greatest number of TV commercials of any candidate. However he was little known outside of Massachusetts, so his strategy was to play for early wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, then "sling-shot" the momentum into national visibility.  After leading in both states the tide turned suddenly and he lost to [[Mike Huckabee]] in Iowa and [[John McCain]] in New Hampshire, while picking up some uncontested delegates in Wyoming. ("Two silvers and a gold," his spinmeisters announced.)  The loss in New Hampshire, a neighboring state where had a summer house, indicated a narrow voter base in the primaries.  

[[Image:Mittromney2002.jpg|right|Mitt Romney's 2002 gubernatorial victory|180px]] Romney served one term as governor of Massachusetts (2003-2007), with a generally [[conservative]] record that included economic expansion. He balanced the budget every year of his administration with out increasing taxes or increasing state dept. Romney closed a $3 billion budget gap by reducing government spending and created 60,000 new jobs. In 2004, 2005, and 2006 Governor Romney proposed cutting the state income tax from 5.3% to 5.0% <ref>http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2007/08/mitt_romneys_record_on_economi.php</ref>. Although the Democratic super majority in the state legislator refused to budge. Romney vetoed an increase in the minimum wage, saying "there's no question raising the minimum wage excessively causes a loss of jobs." <ref>Telegram & Gazette, 08/01/06</ref> Under Governor Romney the state abolished a retroactive capital gains tax that would have forced nearly 50,000 taxpayers to pay additional taxes and fees. <ref>http://www.americansformitt.com/</ref> Massachusetts Citizens For Limited Taxation Executive Director Barbara Anderson praised Romney, saying "There was no one else out on the horizon and with the legislature almost entirely Democratic, we felt it was necessary to have a grown-up in the corner office. … And we were right to back him. He's been a really good friend to the taxpayers."

After the unexpected defeats Romney changed strategy and focused on caucus states, where his financial advantage could be used to hire local organizers to turn out upscale voters who attended caucuses.  Romney changed his rhetoric and began denouncing Washington, emphasizing his business skills, and promising large-scale federal help to the troubled Michigan economy, where the domestic auto companies have been doing very poorly.  He avoided collapse by a decisive over McCain in the Michigan GOP primary on Jan 15, with 39% of the vote, beating McCain with 30% and Huckabee with 16%.

However, some of the actions Governor Romney took received criticisms from conservatives, such as supporting moderate fee increases and creating and the nation's first universal [[health care]] program. During his 2002 gubernatorial campaign Romney supported [[abortion]], his views evolved and would later take [[pro-life]] positions such as vetoing emergency contraception and vetoing [[stem-cell research]] that would allow cloning of human embryos. In 2006, Governor Romney testified before the [[United States]] [[Senate]] to support the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would limit marriage to one man and one woman.

Religion was a negative factor for evangelicals who saw Mormonism an un-Christian cult. Romney, a former bishop, spoke in Texas on the need for religious tolerance. While his religion generally hurt his vote totals, it was a boon for him in Nevada, where one-fourth of the GOP caucus electorate was Mormon, and Romney won better than 90% of them against [[Ron Paul]]. Likewise it helped him sweep the Utah primary.  Romney outspent the field on TV ads in South Carolina and Florida. When he discovered he was doing poorly he pulled his advertising out of South Carolina and concentrated on Nevada, where the main contenders did not appear. Romney came in fourth place in South Carolina.  His decisive defeat came in the South. He lost to McCain in Florida, 36% to 31%, ceding the momentum to McCain.  Then Huckabee and McCain contested the remaining southern primaries, leaving Romney a poor third in the nation's conservative stronghold.<ref> Adam Nagourney, "McCain’s Victory in a Party-Only Primary Raises the Hurdles for Romney," [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/us/politics/30assess.html?ref=politics ''New York Times'' Jan. 30, 2008]</ref>

On [[Education]] Romney called for the privatization of the University of Massachusetts medical school<ref>Telegram & Gazette, 02/27/03</ref>. In 2004, he established the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program, which rewarded the top 25 percent of Massachusetts high school students with tuition-free scholarship to any Massachusetts public [[university]] or [[college]].

 

On Tsunami Tuesday Romney did well in caucus states, where his high-spending organizational efforts paid off amidst very low turnout. However, he did poorly in the primary states, notably California, where his $10 million advertising blitz was pushed aside by McCain, who ran only a few radio ads. The main base of the GOP is the South, but Romney ran a weak third in the region, as Huckabee captured the evangelical vote. The Romney campaign underwent repeated transformations, with new themes and new campaign slogans, new ads and new message strategies designed to reach the conservatives who listen to talk radio. One after another Romney sought an identity as the candidate of true fiscal, social and national security conservatism. He has portrayed himself as Mr Efficiency--as the corporate executive candidate who understands the economy "in my DNA."  He then attacked illegal immigrants, an issue that had little traction.<ref>In California Romney did much worse than polls predicted [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/ca/california_republican_primary-258.html (the polls had him tied with McCain but he lost by 8 points]). In the closing days he banked heavily on the anti-immigrant argument with intense TV commercials. Romney did well among the 28% who saw illegal immigration as the top issue, beating McCain by 50%-26%. However he lost heavily among the 60% who were more tolerant of immigrants [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21228167 (McCain won them by 50%-28%]). Asians and Latinos comprised 19% of the GOP vote in California; most are immigrants or children of immigrants and they voted for McCain over Romney by 48%-21%. </ref>  His last transformation came in February, with his claims to be the candidate of change, who will defeat the Washington insiders and elites, whom he links to McCain. On Tsunami Tuesday, ''Time'' magazine reports, his rhetoric took on a previously unseen, almost Trotskyite tenor: "It's time for the politicians to leave Washington and for we, the people, to take over!"<ref> Michael Scherer, "Romney's Big Push Nets Little," [http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1710284,00.html ''Time'' Feb. 06, 2008]</ref>

 

After spending $110 million, much of it from his own fortune, Romney closed his campaign two days after his disappointing showing on Tsunami Tuesday; he endorsed McCain as commentators speculated on his chances for a return effort in 2012.

 

== Political Views ==

== Political Views ==

Mitt Romney supports the right of scientists to research on embryos created during fertility treatments.[http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/diseases/articles/2007/02/11/romneys_stem_cell_view_may_upset_the_right/]

Mitt Romney supports the right of scientists to research on embryos created during fertility treatments.[http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/diseases/articles/2007/02/11/romneys_stem_cell_view_may_upset_the_right/]

==Endorsements==

==Endorsements==