Mitt Romney
70th Governor of Massachusetts
In office January 2, 2003 – January 4, 2007
Lieutenant	Kerry Healey
Preceded by	Jane Swift (acting)
Succeeded by	Deval Patrick
Born	March 12, 1947 (1947-03-12) (age 61) Detroit, Michigan
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Ann Romney
Children	Five
Residence	Belmont, Massachusetts
Alma mater	Brigham Young University Harvard University
Religion	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and former Governor of Massachusetts. The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Kerry Murphy Healey (born April 30, 1960) was the 70th Lieutenant Governor of the U Jane Maria Swift (born February 24 1965 is the former Governor of Massachusetts. Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Ann Romney (born April 16 1949 is the wife of former 2008 United States presidential election candidate Mitt Romney. Belmont is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, a Suburb of Boston. Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Romney is also a former candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2008 United States presidential election. The United States presidential election of 2008, scheduled for Tuesday November 4 2008 will be the 56th consecutive

Romney was CEO of Bain & Company, a management consulting firm, and co-founder of Bain Capital, a private equity investment firm. A chief executive officer ( CEO) or chief executive is typically the highest-ranking corporate officer ( executive) or administrator Bain & Company is a Management consulting firm headquartered in Boston Massachusetts. Management consulting refers to both the industry of and the practice of helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems Bain Capital LLC is a Boston -based Private equity firm founded in 1984 by partners from the consulting firm Bain & Company. In Finance, private equity is an Asset class consisting of equity Securities in operating companies that are not Publicly traded on After his business career and serving as the CEO of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Romney was elected as the 70th Governor of Massachusetts in 2002. The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIX Olympic Winter Games were a Winter Multi-sport event which was celebrated in 2002 Romney served one term and did not seek re-election in 2006; his term expired January 4, 2007. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[1]

Early life and education

Romney is the son of former Michigan Governor and 1968 presidential candidate George W. Romney, and 1970 Michigan U. Please DO NOT flip the colors -->The United States presidential election of 1968 was a wrenching national experience and included the assassination of Democratic candidate George Wilcken Romney ( July 8 1907 July 26 1995) was an American Businessman and a Politician. S. Senatorial candidate Lenore Romney. See also Mitt Romney Lenore LaFount Romney ( November 9, 1908 &ndash July 7, 1998) was He was named "Willard" after hotel magnate J. Willard Marriott, his father's best friend. John Willard Marriott ( September 17, 1900 &ndash August 13, 1985) was an American Entrepreneur and businessman ^[2] Mitt, his middle name, was the nickname of his father's cousin Milton Romney,^[3] who played quarterback for the Chicago Bears from 1925 to 1929. The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. ^[4] Mitt Romney has three older siblings: Lynn Romney Keenan; Jane Romney Robinson; and G. Scott Romney. George Scott Romney is an American Republican politician and lawyer in the state of Michigan. ^[5]

Romney graduated from the Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 1965^[6] and earned a perfect score on his SAT. This article is about the private Pre K-12 school in the United States; For alternate uses including other Cranbrook Schools see Cranbrook (disambiguation. Bloomfield Hills is a City in Oakland County of the US state of Michigan, northwest of Detroit (18 miles from downtown Detroit After attending Stanford University for two quarters, Romney served in France for 30 months as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University or simply Stanford, is a private Research university located in This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church is one of the most active modern practitioners of Missionary work with over 50000 full-time missionaries The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known ^[7]

After his mission service, Romney attended Brigham Young University, where he graduated as valedictorian, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude in 1971. Valedictorian is an academic title typically conferred upon the highest ranked student among those being graduated from an educational institution A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of Higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an Academic degree was earned Romney received a ministerial deferment from the military draft while in France, and three years of deferments while a student. The Draft redirects here For other uses see Draft. Conscription in the United States has been employed several times usually during When he became eligible for military service in 1970, his high number in the annual draft lottery meant he would not be drafted. ^[8]

In 1975, Romney graduated from a joint Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration program coordinated between Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School. A JD/MBA or MBA/JD is a dual degree program offered jointly by many law and business schools in the United States and by the University of Juris Doctor (abbreviated JD or JD, from the Latin, Teacher of Law) is a first professional graduate degree and Professional The Master of Business Administration ( MBA) is a Master's degree in Business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines Harvard Law School (also known as Harvard Law or HLS) is one of the professional Graduate schools of Harvard University. Harvard Business School ( HBS) is a renowned Business school in the United States He graduated cum laude from the law school and was named a Baker Scholar for graduating in the top five percent of his business school class. Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an Academic degree was earned Harvard Business School ( HBS) is a renowned Business school in the United States ^[9]

Business career

After graduation, Romney remained in Massachusetts and went to work for the Boston Consulting Group, where he had interned during the summer of 1974. “BCG” redirects here For other uses see BCG (disambiguation. ^[10] From 1978 to 1984, Romney was a vice president of Bain & Company, Inc. Bain & Company is a Management consulting firm headquartered in Boston Massachusetts. , another management consulting firm based in Boston. Management consulting refers to both the industry of and the practice of helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems In 1984, Romney left Bain & Company to co-found a spin-off private equity investment firm, Bain Capital. In Finance, private equity is an Asset class consisting of equity Securities in operating companies that are not Publicly traded on Bain Capital LLC is a Boston -based Private equity firm founded in 1984 by partners from the consulting firm Bain & Company. ^[11] During the 14 years he headed the company, Bain Capital's average annual internal rate of return on realized investments was 113 percent,^[12] making money primarily through leveraged buyouts. The internal rate of return (IRR is a Capital budgeting metric used by firms to decide whether they should make Investments It is an indicator of the efficiency A leveraged buyout (or LBO, or highly-leveraged transaction (HLT or "bootstrap" transaction occurs when a Financial sponsor acquires a controlling interest ^[13] He invested in or bought many well-known companies such as Staples, Brookstone, Domino's, Sealy Corporation and Sports Authority. Staples Inc is the world's largest Office supply Retail store chain with over 2000 stores Worldwide in 27 countries Brookstone is a chain of retail stores in the United States. Its first store was opened in 1973 in Peterborough New Hampshire. Domino's Pizza Inc ( is an international Fast food Pizza delivery corporation headquartered just outside Ann Arbor Michigan, United States Sealy Corporation ( is a major Mattress Manufacturer. The company draws its name from the city where it started Sealy Texas. Sports Authority is one of the USA's largest Sporting goods Retailers. ^[14]

In 1990, Romney was asked to return to Bain & Company, which was facing financial collapse. As CEO, Romney managed an effort to restructure the firm's employee stock-ownership plan, real-estate deals and bank loans, while increasing fiscal transparency. Within a year, he had led Bain & Company through a highly successful turnaround and returned the firm to profitability without layoffs or partner defections. ^[12]

Romney left Bain Capital in 1998 to head the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games Organizing Committee. ^[15] He and his wife have a net worth of between 250 and 500 million USD. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been ^[16][17] , not including Romney`s blind trust in the name of their children, which is valued at about $100 million. ^[18]

CEO of the 2002 Winter Olympics

Romney served as president and CEO of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games held in Salt Lake City. The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIX Olympic Winter Games were a Winter Multi-sport event which was celebrated in 2002 Salt Lake City is the Capital and the most populous city of the U In 1999, the event was running $379 million short of its revenue benchmarks. Plans were being made to scale back the games in order to compensate for the fiscal crisis. ^[19] The Games were also damaged by allegations of bribery involving top officials, including then Salt Lake Olympic Committee (SLOC) President and CEO Frank Joklik. The 2002 Olympic Winter Games bid scandal was a Scandal involving allegations of Bribery to obtain the 2002 Olympic Joklik and SLOC vice president Dave Johnson were forced to resign. Dave Johnson may refer to Dave Johnson (Producer Sometimes called "Stiff" Johnson a Philadelphia Music Producer Dave ^[20]

On February 11, 1999, Romney was hired as the new president and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) ^[21] Romney revamped the organization's leadership and policies, reduced budgets and boosted fundraising. He also worked to ensure the safety of the Games following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 by coordinating a $300 million security budget. ^[22] Despite the initial fiscal shortfall, the Games ended up clearing a profit of $100 million, not counting the $224. 5 million in security costs contributed by outside sources. ^[23][24]

Romney contributed $1 million to the Olympics, and donated the $825,000 salary he earned as President and CEO to charity. ^[25] He wrote a book about his experience titled Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games. Turnaround Crisis Leadership and the Olympic Games is a book written by former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney with Timothy Robinson ( ^[26]

Massachusetts political campaigns

Campaign for United States Senate, 1994

Main article: United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 1994

In 1994, Romney won the Massachusetts Republican Party's nomination for U.S. Senate after defeating businessman John Lakian in the primary. The United States Senate election of 1994 in Massachusetts was held on November 8, 1994 with the incumbent Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy defeating The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives John Lakian is a multi- Millionaire Businessman who ran for governor of Massachusetts in 1982 as a Republican, and later ran to be the party's ^[27] Some early polls showed Romney close to Senator Ted Kennedy. Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (born February 22 1932 is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic One Boston Herald/WCVB-TV poll taken after the September 20, 1994 primary showed Romney ahead 44 percent to 42 percent, within the poll's sampling margin of error. The Boston Herald is a Tabloid -format Daily newspaper, the smaller of the two big dailies in Boston Massachusetts, United States Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The margin of error is a statistic expressing the amount of random Sampling error in a survey 's results ^[28] Kennedy, who typically faced only "token" GOP opposition for his senate seat was more vulnerable than usual in 1994, in part because of the unpopularity of the Democratic Congress as a whole and also because this was Kennedy's first election since the William Kennedy Smith trial in Florida, in which Ted Kennedy had taken some public relations hits regarding his character. William Kennedy Smith (born September 4, 1960) is an American Physician whose work focuses on landmines and the rehabilitation President Bill Clinton traveled to Massachusetts to campaign for Kennedy. President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States ^[29]

After Romney touted his business credentials and his record at creating jobs within his company, Kennedy ran campaign ads showing an Indiana company bought out by Romney's firm, Bain Capital, and interviews with its union workers who had been fired and criticized Romney for the loss of their jobs, one saying, "I don’t think Romney is creating jobs because he took every one of them away. "^[30] Romney claimed that 10,000 jobs were created because of his work at Bain, but private detectives hired by Kennedy found a factory bought by Bain Capital that had suffered a 350-worker strike after Bain had cut worker pay and benefits. ^[31] Although both Kennedy and Romney supported the abortion rights established under Roe v. Wade, Kennedy accused Romney of being "multiple choice" on the issue, rather than "pro choice. Abortion in the United States is a highly-charged issue involving significant political and ethical debate Roe v Wade, 410 US 113 (1973 is a controversial United States Supreme Court case that resulted in a Landmark decision regarding "^[32] Romney is now pro-life and opposes Roe. ^[33] According to figures in The Almanac of American Politics 1996, which relies on official campaign finance reports, Romney spent over $7 million of his own money, with Kennedy spending more than $10 million from his campaign fund, mostly in the last weeks of the campaign (this was the second-most expensive race of the 1994 election cycle, after the Dianne Feinstein vs. The Almanac of American Politics is a Reference work published biennially by the National Journal Group. Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein (ˈfаɪnˌstаɪn (born June 22, 1933) is the senior U Michael Huffington Senate race in California). Roy Michael Huffington Jr (born September 3, 1947, in Dallas Texas) is an American Politician belonging to the Republican California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. ^[34] In a September poll, Romney had a 43% to 42% lead. ^[35] A month later, however, Kennedy led in the polls 50% to 32. ^[31] Kennedy won the election with 58 percent of the vote to Romney's 41 percent, the second smallest margin in Kennedy's nine elections to the Senate through 2006. ^[36]

Campaign for Governor, 2002

Main article: Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2002

In 2002, Republican Lieutenant Governor Jane Swift was expected to campaign for the governor's office. Every four years Massachusetts holds state-wide elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth Jane Maria Swift (born February 24 1965 is the former Governor of Massachusetts. Swift had served as acting governor after Republican Governor Paul Cellucci resigned upon being appointed U.S. Ambassador to Canada. An acting governor is a Constitutional position created in some U Argeo Paul Cellucci (born April 24, 1948) is an American politician and diplomat former Governor of Massachusetts, and former Ambassador This is a list of ambassadors from the United States to Canada. Swift was viewed as an unpopular executive, and her administration was plagued by political missteps and personal scandals. ^[37] Many Republicans viewed her as a liability and considered her unable to win a general election against a Democrat. ^[38] Prominent GOP activists campaigned to persuade Romney to run for governor. ^[39] One poll taken at this time showed that Republicans favored Romney over Swift by more than 50 percentage points. ^[40] Swift decided not to seek her party's nomination.

Massachusetts Democratic Party officials claimed that Romney was ineligible to run for governor, citing residency issues. The Massachusetts Democratic Party is the state affiliate of the United States Democratic Party in the U During the 2002 Massachusetts governor’s race, one widely discussed issue was whether Republican Candidate Willard Mitt Romney was eligible to run for governor under The Massachusetts Constitution requires seven consecutive years of residency prior to a run for office. The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the fundamental governing document of the United States Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Romney claimed residency in Utah from 1999 to 2002, during his time as president of the Salt Lake City Olympic Committee. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. In 1999 he listed himself as a part-time Massachusetts resident. ^[41] The Massachusetts Democratic Party filed a complaint with the Massachusetts State Ballot Law Commission, which eventually ruled that Romney was eligible to run for office. The ruling was not challenged in court. ^[42]

Supporters of Romney hailed his business record, especially his success with the 2002 Olympics, as that of one who would be able to bring a new era of efficiency into Massachusetts politics. ^[43] Romney contributed $6. 3 million to his own campaign during the election, at the time a state record. ^[44] Romney was elected Governor in November 2002 with 50 percent of the vote over Democratic candidate Shannon O'Brien, who received 45 percent of the vote. Shannon Patricia Elizabeth O'Brien, born April 30 1959 in Boston, Massachusetts, is a Democrat from Massachusetts. ^[45]

Governor of Massachusetts, 2003–2007

Main article: Governorship of Mitt Romney

Governor Mitt Romney poses with a prototype of a one hundred dollar laptop in September of 2005, after filing a proposal to give every public middle and high school student in Massachusetts one of the machines. Willard Mitt Romney was sworn in as the 70th Governor of Massachusetts on January 2, 2003, along with Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey The legislation did not pass.

Romney was sworn in as the 70th governor of Massachusetts on January 2, 2003. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Upon entering office, Romney faced a projected $3 billion deficit, but a previously enacted $1. 3 billion capital gains tax increase and $500 million in unanticipated federal grants decreased the deficit to $1. 2 billion. ^[46] Through a combination of spending cuts, increased fees, and removal of corporate tax loopholes, by 2006 the state had a $700 million surplus and was able to cut taxes. A loophole is a weakness or exception that allows a system such as a Law or Security, to be circumvented or otherwise avoided ^[47][48]

Romney supported raising various fees by more than $300 million, including raising fees for driver's licenses, marriage licenses, and gun licenses. ^[48] Romney increased the state gasoline tax by 2 cents per gallon, generating about $60 million per year in additional tax revenue. ^[49] Romney also closed tax loopholes that brought in another $181 million from businesses over the next two years. ^[49] The state legislature with Romney's support also cut spending by $1. 6 billion, including $700 million in reductions in state aid to cities and towns. ^[50] The cuts also included a $140 million reduction in state funding for higher education, which led state-run colleges and universities to increase tuition by 63%. ^[49] Romney sought additional cuts in his last year as Massachusetts governor by vetoing nearly 250 items in the state budget. All of those vetoes were overturned by the legislature. ^[51]

The combined state and local tax burden in Massachusetts increased during Romney's governorship. ^[49] According to the Tax Foundation, that per capita burden was 9. The Tax Foundation is a Washington-DC-based Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' 8% in 2002 (below the national average of 10. 3%), and 10. 5% in 2006 (below the national average of 10. 8%). ^[52]

On April 12, 2006, Romney signed the Massachusetts health reform law which requires nearly all Massachusetts residents to buy health insurance coverage or else face a substantial penalty in the form of an additional income tax assessment. Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Massachusetts health care reform law was enacted in 2006 It requires nearly every resident of Massachusetts to obtain health insurance coverage The bill also establishes means-tested state subsidies for people who do not have adequate employer insurance and who make below an income threshold, by using funds previously designated to compensate for the health costs of the uninsured. ^[53][54][55] He vetoed eight sections of the health care legislation, including an employer assessment^[56] and provisions providing health coverage to senior and disabled legal immigrants not eligible for federal Medicaid. Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term ^[57][58] The legislature overrode all eight vetoes. Romney's communications director Eric Fehrnstrom responded saying "These differences with the Legislature are not essential to the goal of getting everyone covered with insurance. "

At the beginning of his governorship, Romney opposed same-sex marriage and civil unions. ^[59][60] Faced with the dilemma of choosing between same-sex marriage or civil unions after the November 2003 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision legalizing same-sex marriages (Goodridge v. Department of Public Health), Romney reluctantly backed a state constitutional amendment in February 2004 that would have banned same-sex marriage but still allow civil unions, viewing it as the only feasible way to ban same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ( SJC) is the highest Court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Ruling In a 50-page 4–3 ruling delivered on November 18, 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court found that the state may not "deny ^[61] In May 2004 Romney instructed town clerks to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but citing a 1913 law that barred out-of-state residents from getting married in Massachusetts if their union would be illegal in their home state,^[62][63] no marriage licenses were to be issued to out-of-state same-sex couples not planning to move to Massachusetts. In June 2005, Romney abandoned his support for the compromise amendment, stating that the amendment confused voters who oppose both same-sex marriage and civil unions. Instead, Romney endorsed a petition effort led by the Coalition for Marriage & Family that would have banned same-sex marriage and made no provisions for civil unions. ^[64] In 2006 he urged the U. S. Senate to vote in favor of the Marriage Protection Amendment. The Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA (also referred to by proponents as the Marriage Protection Amendment) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution ^[65][66]

On December 14, 2005, Romney announced that he would not seek re-election for a second term as governor. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[67] Romney left office with a favorability rating of 43%. ^[68] Romney filed papers to establish a formal exploratory presidential campaign committee the next to last day in office as governor. ^[69] This solidified suspicions that had been circulating as early as 2005 that Romney would attempt to run for President. This also intensified criticism that Romney was not taking his governorship seriously (spending 219 days out of state in 2006), and using his office as a springboard to greater political ambitions. [2] Romney's term ended January 4, 2007. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Campaign for the Republican nomination for President, 2007-2008

Main article: Mitt Romney presidential campaign, 2008

2008 presidential campaign logo

Since the 2004 Republican National Convention, Romney had been discussed as a potential 2008 presidential candidate. Mitt Romney was a Republican Party primary candidate in the 2008 United States presidential election. The 2004 Republican National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States, took place from August ^[70] On January 3, 2007, two days before he stepped down as governor of Massachusetts, Romney filed to form a presidential exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. In the Election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for The Federal Election Commission (or FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the ^[71][72] Romney formally announced his candidacy for the 2008 Republican nomination for president on February 13, 2007. Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

In the January 2008 Iowa Caucus, the first contest of the primary elections, Romney received 25% of the vote and placed second to Mike Huckabee, who received 34%. The Iowa caucuses are an electoral event in which residents of the U Michael Dale "Mike" Huckabee (born August 24 1955 is a former Republican governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007 and a political Commentator ^[73][74] A few days later, Romney won the Wyoming Republican Caucuses. The 2008 Wyoming Republican caucuses took place on January 5, 2008, with 12 national delegates chosen by county convention delegates ^[75] Romney finished in second place behind John McCain in the New Hampshire primary on January 8, 2008. The New Hampshire primary is the first in a series of nationwide Political party Primary elections held in the United States every four years as part of Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[76] In the January 15 Michigan primary, Romney won with 39% of the vote, followed by McCain (30%), Huckabee (16%), and others. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign The 2008 Michigan Republican primary took place on January 15, 2008. ^[77] On January 19, Romney won the Nevada caucuses, but placed fourth in the South Carolina primary. Events 1419 - Hundred Years' War: Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England completing his reconquest of Normandy. The Nevada Republican caucuses 2008 was held on January 19, the same day as the 2008 South Carolina Republican primary, with 31 delegates at stake The South Carolina Republican primary 2008 was held on January 19, with 24 delegates at stake Romney then came in second behind John McCain in the Florida primary on January 29, and came in first ahead of John McCain in the Maine caucuses on February 2, giving McCain an overall 97-92 lead over Romney in delegates to the 2008 Republican National Convention. Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor The United States 2008 Republican National Convention took place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul Minnesota, from September 1 through September ^[78] According to US election polls, going into Super Tuesday, Mitt Romney led in California (40% - 32% John McCain), Massachusetts (55% - 23%), Colorado (43% - 24%), and Utah (65% - 6%). ^[79] McCain led in 12 states and was 21 points ahead of Romney in national polls. ^[80]

Romney partly financed his campaign with his own personal fortune, contributing over $35 million of the $90 million raised by his campaign, as of December 31, 2007. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[81]

Following the results of the 2008 Super Tuesday primaries, Romney suspended his campaign for the presidential nomination on February 7, 2008. Super Tuesday 2008, Super Duper Tuesday, Giga Tuesday, Tsunami Tuesday, and The Tuesday of Destiny are names for February 5 2008 the day Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[82][83][84] He stated that by staying in the race he would only "forestall the launch of a national campaign and frankly I'd be making it easier for Senator Clinton or Senator Barack Obama to win. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26 1947 is the junior United States Senator from And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding surrender to terror. " He went on to say "I am convinced that unless America changes course, we will become the France of the 21st Century - still a great nation, but no longer the leader of the world, no longer the superpower. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. "^[85]

Romney won 11 states primaries and caucuses, 4. 2 million votes and 291 delegates. ^[86][87]

Romney endorsed McCain for President on February 14, 2008. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[88]

Religious background

Main article: Mitt Romney's Mormonism

Mitt Romney is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, colloquially known as the Mormon church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known His great-great-grandfather, Parley P. Pratt, was among the first leaders in the Latter Day Saint movement in the early 19th century. Parley Parker Pratt ( 12 April 1807 &ndash 13 May 1857) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of Please see the talk page for this article and the "See also" list before adding content or adding a hyphen to Latter Day Saint Mitt’s wife Ann converted to the Church of Jesus Christ before they were married in 1969. ^[89] In addition to his missionary work in France, Romney has served as a part-time lay minister, called a bishop, and has also been a stake president in his church (stake presidents preside over several congregations). Bishop is the highest priesthood office of the Aaronic priesthood in the Latter Day Saint movement. A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. ^[90] As part of his religious practice, Romney abstains from alcohol and smoking. Smoking is a practice where a substance most commonly Tobacco, is burned and the Smoke tasted or inhaled ^[91][92][93]

Religion played a major role in the 2008 presidential campaign, with polls indicating that a quarter of Republican voters were “less likely” to vote for a presidential candidate who was a Latter-day Saint. Mitt Romney was a Republican Party primary candidate in the 2008 United States presidential election. A Latter ^[94][95] However, some social conservatives and evangelicals criticized Romney for not being enough of a Latter-day Saint regarding social policy. Social conservatism is a political or moral ideology that affirms the government's role in encouraging or enforcing traditional values or behaviors in the belief that these are what Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel ^[96][97] He avoided speaking publicly about specific church doctrines, and pointed out that the U.S. Constitution prohibits religious tests for public office. The "no religious test" clause of the United States Constitution is found in Article VI section 3, and states that ^[94] Declining to discuss details about his religion also reduced the risk that doctrinal differences would alienate evangelical Christian voters. According to the Latter-day Saints (Mormons Mormonism is the restoration and perfection of Christianity. ^[96] Romney instead addressed religion in general, saying that as president he would have needed “the prayers of the people of all faiths” and that he would have served “no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A president must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States. ”^[94]

Political positions

Main article: Political positions of Mitt Romney

Romney invited Iowa voters to "Ask Mitt Anything" in May of 2007. The political positions of Mitt Romney have developed over the course of his life both in observing his father George W

Some of Mitt Romney's political positions have changed over the course of his political career. He says that he has learned from experience, and that people can rely on him to keep his campaign promises. ^[98] As a candidate for the Republican nomination for President, Romney has increasingly expressed views in line with traditional conservatives on social issues. ^[99][100]

Romney was filmed participating in a Pro-Choice Planned Parenthood fundraiser in 1994 in conjunction with a $150 family contribution,^[101] and has made many pro-choice comments in the past. Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-choice advocates emphasize their beliefs that having a child is a personal choice that affects a woman's body and Romney says he has changed positions, "acknowledged my error" and is therefore pro-life. Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-life individuals generally believe that human life should be valued either from conception or Implantation ^[102][103] Romney says that he believes that Roe v. Wade should be overturned, that "abortion is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother," and that "states, through the democratic process, should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by judicial mandate. Roe v Wade, 410 US 113 (1973 is a controversial United States Supreme Court case that resulted in a Landmark decision regarding "^[103] As a candidate for office in Massachusetts, Romney claimed to hold liberal or moderate views on abortion; he explains his changing views as a process of evolution, contending that he has gradually come to agree with the conservative position on abortion. ^[104][105] Critics of Romney are less flattering and portray him as an opportunist. For example, Democratic U.S. Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts once said, "The real Romney is clearly an extraordinarily ambitious man with no perceivable political principle whatsoever. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. Barnett "Barney" Frank (born March 31, 1940) is an American Politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. He is the most intellectually dishonest human being in the history of politics," to which a Romney spokesman replied that "We’ve never really paid much attention to what Barney Frank is saying, and we see no reason to start now. "^[106]

Romney has been a strong supporter of gun control legislation and enforcement, backing the Brady Bill, a five-day waiting period on gun sales, and a ban on certain assault weapons, and he still backs the ban on assault weapons. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1983( codified at, also known as the Brady Bill, passed as by the United States Congress, signed into law by President ^[107] Romney has also supported some legislation that was endorsed by the National Rifle Association and the Gun Owners' Action League. The National Rifle Association, or NRA, is a non-profit ( 501(c(4) group dedicated to the protection of the Second Amendment of the The Gun Owners' Action League, or GOAL, is the official firearms association of Massachusetts. ^[108] Romney also says he believes that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms, rather than merely protecting a right of states. The Second Amendment (Amendment II to the United States Constitution is a part of the United States Bill of Rights that protects the pre-existing ^[109]

Romney welcomes increased legal immigration and supports giving "a biometrically-enabled and tamperproof card to non-citizens and . American immigration ( emigration to the United States of America) refers to the movement of non-residents to the United States. . . a national database for non-citizens" in order to reduce illegal immigration. Illegal immigration refers to Immigration across National Borders in a way that violates the Immigration laws of the destination Country ^[110] Romney's lawn care company had illegal aliens working at his private residence for nearly a decade and Romney had them fired after the fact was revealed to him during his current campaign for President. Illegal immigration refers to Immigration across National Borders in a way that violates the Immigration laws of the destination Country ^[111]

Romney at a parade in Milford, New Hampshire; September 3, 2007

Romney is a proponent of monogamous, heterosexual marriage. Milford is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States, on the Souhegan River. New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Monogamy is the custom or condition of having only one mate in a Relationship, thus forming a Couple. ^[112] As a candidate for governor in 2002, Romney said: "Call me old fashioned, but I don't support gay marriage nor do I support civil union. "^[113] During that 2002 campaign, he also supported hate crimes legislation and opposed other discrimination against gays, while supporting some partner benefits for gays,^[113] and he also opposed amending the state constitution to codify only traditional marriage because he believed the draft amendment would have outlawed other partner benefits. ^[114] When the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in favor of legalized same-sex marriage in 2003, Romney lobbied for a state constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage but allow civil unions. Same-sex marriage (also referred to as gay marriage) is a term for a legally or Socially recognized Marriage between two people of the same A civil union is a legally recognized union similar to Marriage. ^[113] Romney explained in 2005: "From day one I've opposed the move for same-sex marriage and its equivalent, civil unions. . . . I am only supporting civil unions if gay marriage is the alternative. "^[113] Romney continues to oppose both marriage and civil unions between people of the same sex. ^[115] Romney's tone on gay rights has been viewed by some as fluctuating, though he supported Bill Clinton's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy" in 1994, and continued to do so in 2007. ^[116][117]

Romney supported the invasion of Iraq,^[118] and supports the "troop surge. The surge is a phrase commonly used to describe United States President George W "^[119] Upon hearing the testimony of David Petraeus, Romney reemphasized his agreement with current policy in Iraq and has called for a "Surge of Support" for the military. This article is about the fall 2007 final report For the earlier interim report made in summer 2007 see Initial Benchmark Assessment Report. General David Howell Petraeus, USA (born November 7 1952) is scheduled to become the next Commander U Romney has called for increased military spending to at least 4 percent of the United States GDP and wishes to increase the size of the military by at least 100,000 troops. ^[120]

Romney has focused on tax relief for "middle income Americans," and has advocated eliminating the capital gains tax for all those who earn less than $200,000 per year. A capital gains tax (abbreviated CGT) is a Tax charged on Capital gains the profit realized on the sale of a non-inventory Asset that was purchased ^[121] Romney has also advocated eliminating the estate tax,^[122] signed a pledge to oppose "any and all efforts" to increase income taxes,^[123] and promises to control spending by Congress. Estate tax and Death duty redirect here Inheritance tax, estate tax and death duty are the names given to various taxes which

Romney supports the death penalty, charter schools, and sentencing under the three strikes law. Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. Charter schools are elementary or secondary schools in the United States that receive public money but ^{[124][125][126]} Romney opposes the use of "torture";^[127] however, he supports the limited use of "enhanced interrogation techniques," which he believes are not torture. Torture, according to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, is "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental is intentionally Enhanced interrogation techniques, rough interrogation, the Central Intelligence Agency’s interrogation methods, and alternative set of procedures are ^[128]

Personal life

In June 1968, Romney was involved in a serious car accident while driving fellow missionaries in southern France. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Southern France (or the South of France) colloquially known as Le Midi, is a loosely defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that A Mercedes hit the Citroën DS Romney was driving;^[129] the fault for the accident, which left one person dead, has been attributed to the driver of the other vehicle. The Citroën DS (also known as Déesse, or Goddess, after the punning initials in French is an Executive car that was produced by ^[130]

Ann Romney in 2007.

Soon after his return from missionary work in France, Romney married high school girlfriend Ann Davies on March 21, 1969. Ann Romney (born April 16 1949 is the wife of former 2008 United States presidential election candidate Mitt Romney. Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[131] They have five sons—Tagg, (b. 1970), Matt (b. 1971), Josh (b. Josh Romney (born 1975 son of Mitt Romney, is a real estate developer for Romney Ventures 1975), Ben (b. 1978) and Craig (b. 1981)^[132]—and eleven grandchildren. ^[133]

Their first son, Tagg, was born in 1970^[132] while both were undergraduates at Brigham Young,^[134] living in a $75-a-month basement apartment. Taggart M Romney (born March 1970 in Provo Utah) is the eldest son of former Massachusetts governor and 2008 Republican candidate for U ^[135] Ann Romney's work as a stay-at-home mom enabled her husband to pursue his career, first in business and then in politics. Homemaker is a mainly American term which may refer either to the person within a family who is primarily concerned with the management of the household whether ^[136]

Ann Romney was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998. Multiple sclerosis (abbreviated MS also known as disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata) is an autoimmune condition in which the She is in remission and was active in his 2008 presidential campaign. ^[137]

Mitt and Ann Romney have three homes, one in Belmont, Massachusetts in the Boston suburbs, a lakeside house in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, and a wood-beamed ski house in Deer Valley, Utah. Belmont is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, a Suburb of Boston. Deer Valley is an alpine ski resort in the Wasatch Range in the Park City area of northern Utah. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. ^[138]

Electoral history

Main article: Electoral history of Mitt Romney

See also

• Mitt Romney's Mormonism
• Pratt–Romney family
• Presidents and Prophets: the Story of America’s Presidents and the LDS Church

References

External links

Official

• Mitt Romney for President 2008 Website
• Mitt Romney's Commonwealth PAC

Databases and information

• NewsMeat - Campaign Contributions Made by Mitt Romney
• OpenSecrets.org - Mitt Romney campaign contributions
• Project Vote Smart voter information
• Mitt Romney at the Open Directory Project
• Genealogy of Mitt Romney
• Draft Romney for Senate