Mitt Romney#Social media

{{See also|Romney family}}

Willard Mitt Romney{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/05/29/romneys-birth-certificate-evokes-his-fathers-controversy/ |title=Romney's birth certificate evokes his father's controversy |first=Mark |last=Hosenball |agency=Reuters |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=May 29, 2012 |access-date=April 19, 2015 |archive-date=October 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020083249/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-05-29/news/sns-rt-us-usa-campaign-romney-birth-certificatebre84s1gf-20120529_1_george-romney-republican-mitt-romney-citizen |url-status=live}} Also see [http://static.reuters.com/resources/media/editorial/20120529/RomneyBirthCertificate.pdf "State of Michigan Certificate of Live Birth"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315085751/http://static.reuters.com/resources/media/editorial/20120529/RomneyBirthCertificate.pdf |date=March 15, 2023 }}. was born on March 12, 1947, at Harper University Hospital in Detroit, Michigan,{{cite news |url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-02-17/michigan-primary-santorum-romney/53159656/1 |title=Home sweet home? Michigan primary a challenge for Romney |first=Susan |last=Page |newspaper=USA Today |date=February 20, 2012 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083727/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-02-17/michigan-primary-santorum-romney/53159656/1 |url-status=live}} one of four children born to automobile executive George W. Romney and actress and homemaker Lenore Romney (née LaFount).Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 59–62, 104, 113. His mother was a native of Logan, Utah, and his father was born to American parents in a Mormon colony in Chihuahua, Mexico.{{cite news |title=In besieged Mormon colony, Mitt Romney's Mexican roots |last=Miroff |first=Nick |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 21, 2011 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-besieged-mormon-colony-mitt-romneys-mexican-roots/2011/07/21/gIQAFGOXVI_story.html |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=May 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518123356/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-besieged-mormon-colony-mitt-romneys-mexican-roots/2011/07/21/gIQAFGOXVI_story.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Mexican Cousins Keep Romney's Family Tree Rooted |author=Burnett, John |url=http://app1.kuhf.org/articles/npr1327244449-Mexican-Cousins-Keep-Romneys-Family-Tree-Rooted.html |publisher=NPR |date=January 22, 2012 |access-date=January 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605053609/http://app1.kuhf.org/articles/npr1327244449-Mexican-Cousins-Keep-Romneys-Family-Tree-Rooted.html |archive-date=June 5, 2012 |url-status=dead}} Of primarily English descent, he also has Scottish and German ancestry.Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 52, 70.{{Cite book |last=Roberts |first=Gary Boyd |author-link=Gary Boyd Roberts |title=Notable Kin: An Anthology of Columns First Published in the NEHGS NEXUS 1986–1995, Volume 2 |publisher=Carl Boyer, 3rd |year=1998 |location=Boston |page=212 |isbn=978-0-936124-20-9}}{{Cite news |last=Potter |first=Mitch |title=Mitt Romney has Canadian roots |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=January 23, 2012 |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2012/01/23/mitt_romney_has_canadian_roots.html |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=March 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304054655/https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2012/01/23/mitt_romney_has_canadian_roots.html |url-status=live}} A fifth-generation member of the LDS Church, he is a great-grandson of Miles Park Romney and a great-great-grandson of Miles Romney, who converted to Mormonism in its first decade. Another great-great-grandfather, Parley P. Pratt, helped lead the early church.{{Cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/25/centered_in_faith_a_family_emerges/ |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Part 2: Centered in faith, a family emerges |author=Kranish, Michael |author2=Paulson, Michael |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 25, 2007 |author-link=Michael Kranish |author-link2=Michael Paulson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083534/http://archive.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/25/centered_in_faith_a_family_emerges/ |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |url-status=dead}} Also available as [https://www.deseret.com/2007/7/2/20027702/mitt-s-lds-roots-run-deep "Mitt's LDS roots run deep"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206173241/https://www.deseret.com/2007/7/2/20027702/mitt-s-lds-roots-run-deep |date=February 6, 2020 }}, Deseret Morning News, July 2, 2007.{{cite news |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mitt-romney-mormon-faith_n_1834466 |title=Mitt Romney Holds Mormon Faith Close Through Political Rise |first=Jaweed |last=Kaleem |work=HuffPost |date=August 29, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=April 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410060815/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mitt-romney-mormon-faith_n_1834466 |url-status=live}}

File:Mitt Romney in 1965 Brook.jpg's 1965 yearbook]]

Romney has three older siblings: Margo, Jane, and Scott. Mitt was the youngest by nearly six years.Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 104, 113. His parents named him after a family friend, businessman J. Willard Marriott, and his father's cousin, Milton "Mitt" Romney, a former quarterback for the Chicago Bears.Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, pp. 14–15. Romney was called "Billy" until kindergarten, when he expressed a preference for "Mitt".{{Cite news |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1994/10/21/romney-gains-momentum-as-he-keeps/ |title=Romney Gains Momentum As He Keeps On Running |author=Gell, Jeffrey N. |newspaper=The Harvard Crimson |date=October 21, 1994 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083251/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1994/10/21/romney-gains-momentum-as-he-keeps/ |url-status=live}} In 1953, the family moved from Detroit to the affluent suburb of Bloomfield Hills and his father became the chairman and CEO of American Motors the following year and helped the company avoid bankruptcy and return to profitability.Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, pp. 15–16. By 1959, his father had become a nationally known figure in print and on television,{{cite book |title=Current Biography Yearbook 1958 |editor-last=Candee |editor-first=Marjorie Dent |publisher=H. W. Wilson Company |location=New York |year=1958 |page=[https://archive.org/details/currentbiogr195800cand/page/368 368] |isbn=978-0-8242-0124-1 |title-link=Current Biography Yearbook}} and Mitt idolized him.

Romney attended public elementary schools until seventh grade, when he enrolled as one of only a few Mormon students at Cranbrook School, a private upscale boys' preparatory school a few miles from his home. Many students there came from backgrounds even more privileged than his. Not particularly athletic, he also did not distinguish himself academically. He participated in his father's successful 1962 Michigan gubernatorial campaign, and later worked as an intern in the governor's office.{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-dec-25-na-romneydadson25-story.html |title=Romney's running mate |author=Martelle, Scott |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=December 25, 2007 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083618/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-dec-25-na-romneydadson25-story.html |url-status=live}} Romney took up residence at Cranbrook when his newly elected father began spending most of his time at the state capitol.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-prep-school-classmates-recall-pranks-but-also-troubling-incidents/2012/05/10/gIQA3WOKFU_singlePage.html |title=Mitt Romney's prep school classmates recall pranks, but also troubling incidents |first=Jason |last=Horowitz |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 10, 2012 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=August 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821045215/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-prep-school-classmates-recall-pranks-but-also-troubling-incidents/2012/05/10/gIQA3WOKFU_singlePage.html |url-status=live}}

At Cranbrook, Romney helped manage the ice hockey team, and joined the pep squad. During his senior year, he joined the cross country running team. He belonged to 11 school organizations and school clubs, including the Blue Key Club, a booster group he had started. During his final year there, his academic record improved but fell short of excellence. Romney was involved in several pranks while attending Cranbrook. He has since apologized for them, stating that some of them may have gone too far.{{#tag:ref|Pranks conducted by Romney during his Cranbrook years included sliding down golf courses on large ice cubes, dressing as a police officer and tapping on the car windows of friends who were making out, and staging an elaborate formal dinner on the median of a busy street. The golf course escapade led to Romney and Ann Davies being detained by local police.{{Cite news |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/695236445/Fortunate-Son-Mitt-Romneys-life-is-his-fathers-legacy.html |title=Fortunate Son: Mitt Romney's life is his father's legacy |author=LeBlanc, Steve |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Deseret Morning News |location=Salt Lake City |date=December 16, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626075029/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1%2C5143%2C695236445%2C00.html |archive-date=June 26, 2008 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/07/09/100121803/index.htm |title=The Republicans' Mr. Fix-it |author=Vickers, Marcia |magazine=Fortune |date=June 27, 2007 |access-date=August 3, 2020 |archive-date=September 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922150346/https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/07/09/100121803/index.htm |url-status=live}}

In 2012, five former classmates described a 1965 episode where Romney, then a senior, took the lead in holding down a younger student while cutting his long, bleached-blond hair with scissors. Romney said that he does not recall the incident, though he acknowledged that he might have participated in some high school "hijinks and pranks" that went too far, and he apologized for any harm that resulted from them.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/11/us/politics/years-later-a-prep-school-bullying-case-snares-romney.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511032125/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/11/us/politics/years-later-a-prep-school-bullying-case-snares-romney.html |archive-date=May 11, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Bullying Story Spurs Apology From Romney |first1=Ashley |last1=Parker |first2=Jodi |last2=Kantor |author-link2=Jodi Kantor |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 10, 2012}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romney-apologizes-for-high-school-pranks-that-might-have-gone-too-far/2012/05/10/gIQAC3JhFU_story.html |title=Mitt Romney apologizes for high school pranks that 'might have gone too far' |first=Philip |last=Rucker |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 10, 2012 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=October 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021232706/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romney-apologizes-for-high-school-pranks-that-might-have-gone-too-far/2012/05/10/gIQAC3JhFU_story.html |url-status=live}}|group="nb"}} In March of his senior year, he began dating Ann Davies; she attended the private Kingswood School, Cranbrook's sister school.{{Cite news |title=From prankster to politician, Romney deemed a class act |url=https://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2005/06/12/from_prankster_to_politician_romney_deemed_a_class_act/ |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 12, 2005 |author=Greenberger, Scott S. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008050634/http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2005/06/12/from_prankster_to_politician_romney_deemed_a_class_act/ |archive-date=October 8, 2009}}Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, pp. 27–29. The two became informally engaged around the time he graduated from high school in June 1965.{{Cite news |author=Swidey, Neil |author2=Paulson, Michael |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/24/privilege_tragedy_and_a_young_leader/ |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Part 1: Privilege, tragedy, and a young leader |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 24, 2007 |author-link2=Michael Paulson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070918153844/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_main/ |archive-date=September 18, 2007 |url-status=live}} Also [https://web.archive.org/web/20130502134029/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8712338.html available from HighBeam]. Also available as {{cite news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070918090328/http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0%2C1249%2C680195540%2C00.html |title=Mitt Romney: the beginning |work=Deseret Morning News |date=July 1, 2007 |url=http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,680195540,00.html |archive-date=September 18, 2007}}

File:Nixon Contact Sheet WHPO-1542 (cropped1).jpg with George Romney and Lenore Romney at the White House in 1969]]

Romney attended Stanford University during the 1965–1966 academic year. He was not part of the counterculture of the 1960s then taking form in the San Francisco Bay Area. As opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War grew, a group staged a May 1966 sit-in at Stanford's administration building to demonstrate against draft status tests; Romney joined a counterprotest against that group.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/at-stanford-romney-got-his-bearings-in-a-year-of-change/ |title=At Stanford, Romney got his bearings in a year of change |first1=Scott |last1=Conroy |first2=Laura |last2=Strickler |work=CBS News |date=June 7, 2012 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083653/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/at-stanford-romney-got-his-bearings-in-a-year-of-change/ |url-status=live}} He continued to enjoy occasional pranks.{{#tag:ref|Pranks conducted by Romney during his Stanford years included dressing as a police officer and pretending to arrest people{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2012/06/23/mitt-romney-impersonation-police-officer-high-school-and-college/3jTRhzcmp1C4XT70s1PbmK/story.html |title=Mitt Romney's prankster ways continued in college |first=Michael |last=Kranish |author-link=Michael Kranish |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 24, 2012 |access-date=June 21, 2017 |archive-date=August 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829080908/https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2012/06/23/mitt-romney-impersonation-police-officer-high-school-and-college/3jTRhzcmp1C4XT70s1PbmK/story.html |url-status=live}} and pre-"Big Game" customs involving the Stanford Axe.{{cite news |url=http://www.stanforddaily.com/2012/08/22/mitt-romney-led-the-charge-as-a-big-game-prankster-in-1965/ |title=Mitt Romney led the charge as a Big Game prankster in 1965 |newspaper=The Stanford Daily |date=August 22, 2012 |first=Edward |last=Ngai |access-date=August 27, 2012 |archive-date=August 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825235905/http://www.stanforddaily.com/2012/08/22/mitt-romney-led-the-charge-as-a-big-game-prankster-in-1965/ |url-status=live}}|group="nb"}}

In July 1966, he began a 30-month stint in France as a Mormon missionary,{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/gallery/romney_france?pg=3 |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Part 2: Photo 3 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |access-date=March 17, 2011 |date=June 18, 2007 |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629024557/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/gallery/romney_france?pg=3 |url-status=live}} a traditional rite of passage in his family.{{#tag:ref|Mitt's great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and two uncles had been missionaries,Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 73–74. as had his brother, Scott. He did briefly consider breaking with tradition and not going on a missionKranish; Helman, The Real Romney, p. 63. (and he had successfully been rushed by the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity at Stanford, for sophomore year membership). But he did go, and all five of Mitt's sons later served as missionaries as well.Hewitt, A Mormon in the White House?, pp. 81–82.|group="nb"}} He arrived in Le Havre, where he shared cramped quarters under meager conditions. Rules against drinking, smoking, and dating were strictly enforced.

On average, individual Mormon missionaries do not gain many converts{{#tag:ref|Based on figures from 1971 to 2010, the average Mormon gets only 4–8 baptism converts to the faith per year during a mission.{{cite book |first=David G. Jr. |last=Stewart |year=2007 |title=The Law of the Harvest: Practical Principles of Effective Missionary Work |publisher=Cumorah Foundation |location=Henderson, Nevada |isbn=978-0-9795121-0-0}} The church succeeds in expanding by having huge numbers of missionaries, so that the small number of conversions from each one add up.{{cite book |title=Building the Kingdom: A History of Mormons in America |url=https://archive.org/details/buildingkingdomh0000bush |url-access=registration |first1=Claudia Lauper |last1=Bushman |author-link=Claudia Lauper Bushman |first2=Richard Lyman |last2=Bushman |author-link2=Richard Bushman |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-19-515022-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/buildingkingdomh0000bush/page/97 97]}}|group="nb"}} and Romney was no exception: he later estimated 10 to 20 for his entire mission.Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, p. 69.{{#tag:ref|Romney's task was complicated by proselytizing for a religion that prohibits alcohol in a country known for it. He reflected upon this in 2002: "As you can imagine, it's quite an experience to go to Bordeaux and say, 'Give up your wine! I've got a great religion for you!{{' "}}|group="nb"}} He initially became demoralized and later recalled it as the only time when "most of what I was trying to do was rejected."{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/us/politics/15romney.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117095728/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/us/politics/15romney.html |archive-date=November 17, 2007 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Romney, Searching and Earnest, Set His Path in '60s |author=Kirkpatrick, David D. |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 15, 2007 |page=A1}}

Romney soon gained recognition within the mission for the many homes he called on and the repeat visits he was granted. He became a zone leader in Bordeaux in early 1968, and soon thereafter became an assistant to the mission president in Paris. While in Paris, Romney resided at the Mission Home for several months, and enjoyed a mansion far more comfortable than the accommodations he experienced elsewhere in the country.{{cite news |last1=Samuel |first1=Henry |last2=Swaine |first2=Jon |title=Mitt Romney's life as a poor Mormon missionary in France questioned |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=December 15, 2011 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-politics/8959440/US-election-2012-Mitt-Romneys-life-as-a-poor-Mormon-missionary-in-France-questioned.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216023502/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-politics/8959440/US-election-2012-Mitt-Romneys-life-as-a-poor-Mormon-missionary-in-France-questioned.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 16, 2011}}

When the French expressed opposition to the U.S. role in the Vietnam War, Romney debated them. Those who yelled at him and slammed their doors in his face merely reinforced his resolve.

{{multiple image

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| image1 = Romney Great for '68.jpg

| alt1 = 1968 campaign poster showing a smiling George Romney

| caption1 = Mitt's father George (pictured here in a 1968 poster) lost the Republican presidential nomination to Richard M. Nixon and later was appointed to the Nixon cabinet.

| image2 = Lenore Romney for U.S. Senate.jpg

| alt2 = campaign button advocating Lenore Romney for U. S. Senate

| caption2 = Mitt's mother Lenore, promoted here on a button, lost a Senate race in 1970. Mitt worked for her campaign.

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In June 1968, while in southern France and driving an automobile that was hit by another vehicle, Romney was seriously injured. The crash killed one of his passengers, the wife of the mission president.{{#tag:ref|On June 16, 1968, Romney and five fellow Mormons were traveling on dangerous roads in southern France.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/09/AR2007120901473.html |title=A Mission Accepted |author=Saslow, Eli |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 10, 2007 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=December 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225011259/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/09/AR2007120901473.html |url-status=live}} As they drove through the village of Bernos-Beaulac, a Mercedes that was passing a truck missed a curve and swerved into the opposite lane hitting the Citroën DS Romney was driving head-on.{{Cite news |url=http://www.lexpress.fr/info/monde/dossier/usa2008/diaporama.asp?id=464805 |title=La jeunesse française de Mitt Romney |newspaper=L'Express |date=January 23, 2008 |language=fr |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080130005110/http://www.lexpress.fr/info/monde/dossier/usa2008/diaporama.asp?id=464805 |archive-date=January 30, 2008}} Trapped between the steering wheel and door, the unconscious Romney had to be pried from the car; a French police officer mistakenly wrote Il est mort in his passport. Besides killing the wife of the mission president, the other four passengers were seriously injured. George Romney relied on his friend Sargent Shriver, the U.S. Ambassador to France, to go to the local hospital and discover that his son had survived. Mitt Romney, who was not at fault in the accident,{{cite news |author=Paulson, Michael |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_side/ |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Survivors recall tragic car crash in France with Romney at the wheel |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 24, 2007 |author-link=Michael Paulson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020133426/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_side/?page=full |archive-date=October 20, 2010}} Also available as {{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/world/europe/24iht-24Romney.6300715.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111120031921/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/world/europe/24iht-24Romney.6300715.html |archive-date=November 20, 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Survivors recall tragic car crash in France with Romney |work=The New York Times |date=June 24, 2007}} had suffered broken ribs, a fractured arm, a concussion, and facial injuries, but recovered quickly without needing surgery. The French police say that they have no records of the incident because such records are routinely destroyed after 10 years.|name="nb-acc"|group="nb"}}

Romney then became co-president of a mission that had become demoralized and disorganized after the May 1968 general strike and student uprisings and the car accident. With Romney rallying the others, the mission met its goal of 200 baptisms for the year, the most in a decade. By the end of his stint in December 1968, he was overseeing the work of 175 others. As a result of his experience there, Romney developed a lifelong affection for France and its people, and has remained fluent in French.{{cite news |url=http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120111/mitt-romney-blasts-obama-europe-new-hampshire-speech |title=Mitt Romney blasts Obama, Europe in NH primary victory speech |publisher=GlobalPost |date=January 11, 2012 |access-date=October 11, 2012 |archive-date=November 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109043542/http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120111/mitt-romney-blasts-obama-europe-new-hampshire-speech |url-status=live}}

At their first meeting following his return, Romney and Ann Davies reconnected and decided to get married.Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, p. 88. Before their wedding, Romney moved to Utah and enrolled at Brigham Young University, where Ann had been studying.{{r|horowitz20120218}} They married on March 21, 1969, in a civil ceremony in Bloomfield Hills and the next day, they flew to Utah for a Mormon wedding ceremony at the Salt Lake Temple; Ann had converted to the faith while he was away.{{Cite news |author=Swidey, Neil |author2=Ebbert, Stephanie |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part4_main/ |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Part 4: Journeys of a shared life: Raising sons, rising expectations bring unexpected turns |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 27, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112211501/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part4_main/ |archive-date=January 12, 2010 |url-status=live}} Also [https://web.archive.org/web/20121203030413/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8706571.html available in HighBeam]. Also available as [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/680196334/Romney-determined-to-make-mark-early.html "Romney determined to make mark early"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101102020010/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/680196334/Romney-determined-to-make-mark-early.html |date=November 2, 2010 }}, Deseret Morning News, July 4, 2007.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/03/22/archives/mitt-romney-marries-ann-davies.html |title=Mitt Romney Marries Ann Davies |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 22, 1969 |page=37 |access-date=July 23, 2018 |archive-date=July 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723182352/https://www.nytimes.com/1969/03/22/archives/mitt-romney-marries-ann-davies.html |url-status=live}}

Romney had missed much of the tumultuous anti-Vietnam War movement in America while in France. Upon his return, he was surprised to learn that his father had joined that movement during his unsuccessful 1968 presidential campaign. George was now serving in President Richard Nixon's cabinet as United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. In a June 1970 newspaper profile of children of cabinet members, Mitt said that U.S. involvement in the war had been misguided – "If it wasn't a political blunder to move into Vietnam, I don't know what is" – but supported Nixon's ongoing Cambodian Incursion as a sincere attempt to end the war.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SSIrAAAAIBAJ&pg=3426,2026569 |title=Generation Gap Reaches to Top |agency=Newsweek Feature Service |newspaper=Reading Eagle |date=June 4, 1970 |page=32 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226001627/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SSIrAAAAIBAJ&pg=3426,2026569 |url-status=live}} During the U.S. military draft for the Vietnam War, Romney sought and received two 2-S student deferments, then a 4-D ministerial deferment while living in France as a missionary. He later sought and received two additional student deferments. When those ran out, he drew number 300 in the December 1969 draft lottery, ensuring he would not be drafted.{{cite news |author=Kranish, Michael |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_side_2/ |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Mormon church obtained Vietnam draft deferrals for Romney, other missionaries |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 24, 2007 |author-link=Michael Kranish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091031020120/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_side_2/?page=full |archive-date=October 31, 2009}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sss.gov/LOTTER8.HTM |title=Results from Lottery Drawing – Vietnam Era – 1970 |publisher=Selective Service System |access-date=March 13, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915232321/http://www.sss.gov/LOTTER8.HTM |archive-date=September 15, 2012}}

At culturally conservative BYU, Romney remained separated from much of the upheaval of that era.{{r|horowitz20120218}} He became president of the Cougar Club booster organization and showed a newfound discipline in his studies.{{r|horowitz20120218}} During his senior year, he took a leave of absence to work as driver and advance man for his mother's unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign; together, they visited all 83 Michigan counties.{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,2115636,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021232613/http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,2115636,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 21, 2014 |title=Dreams from His Mother |first=Barton |last=Gellman |author-link=Barton Gellman |magazine=Time |date=June 4, 2012}} Romney graduated from BYU in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a 3.97 GPA.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romney-as-a-student-at-a-chaotic-time-for-byu-focused-on-family-church/2012/02/17/gIQABaWaMR_story.html |title=Mitt Romney, as a student at a chaotic time for BYU, focused on family, church |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 18, 2012 |author=Horowitz, Jason |access-date=October 16, 2022 |archive-date=November 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126215547/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romney-as-a-student-at-a-chaotic-time-for-byu-focused-on-family-church/2012/02/17/gIQABaWaMR_story.html |url-status=live}} He gave commencement addresses to both the College of Humanities and the whole of BYU.{{#tag:ref|Some sources incorrectly report that Romney graduated first in his class at BYU. Romney himself has corrected this notion, saying that he didn't. While Romney believes he did have the highest grade point average for his on-campus BYU years in the College of Humanities, he did not if his Stanford record was factored in.{{r|lamb20060319}}|group="nb"}}

The Romneys' first son, Taggart, was born in 1970 while they were undergraduates at BYU and living in a basement apartment.{{r|horowitz20120218}} Their son Matthew was born in 1971 and Joshua in 1975. Benjamin (1978) and Craig (1981) were born after Romney had begun his career.

Romney wanted to pursue a business career, but his father advised him that a Juris Doctor degree would be valuable to his career even if he never practiced law.{{Cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/25/reaping_profit_in_study_sweat/ |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Part 3: Reaping profit in study, sweat |author=Gavin, Robert |author2=Pfeiffer, Sacha |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 26, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112040340/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part3_main/ |archive-date=January 12, 2010}} Also [https://web.archive.org/web/20121128192753/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8712358.html available in HighBeam]. Also available as [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/680195957/Plenty-of-pitting-preceded-Romneys-profits.html "Plenty of 'pitting' preceded Romney's profits"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208080345/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/680195957/Plenty-of-pitting-preceded-Romneys-profits.html |date=December 8, 2018 }}, Deseret Morning News, July 3, 2007.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/us/politics/how-harvard-shaped-mitt-romney.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111225002053/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/us/politics/how-harvard-shaped-mitt-romney.html |archive-date=December 25, 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The New York Times |title=At Harvard, a Master's in Problem Solving |last=Kantor |first=Jodi |date=December 25, 2011 |page=A1}} As a result, he enrolled in the recently created four-year joint Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration program coordinated between Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School.{{cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/26/romneys_harvard_classmates_recall_his_quick_mind_positive_attitude/ |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Romney's Harvard classmates recall his quick mind, positive attitude |author=Pfeiffer, Sacha |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 26, 2007 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123110046/http://archive.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/26/romneys_harvard_classmates_recall_his_quick_mind_positive_attitude/ |url-status=live}} He readily adapted to the business school's pragmatic, data-driven case study method of teaching. Living in a Belmont, Massachusetts, house with Ann and their two children, his social experience differed from that of most of his classmates. He was nonideological and did not involve himself in the political issues of the day. Romney graduated from Harvard in 1975. He was named a Baker Scholar for graduating in the top 5% of his business school class and received his Juris Doctor degree cum laude for ranking in the top third of his law school class.Hewitt, A Mormon in the White House?, p. 46.

{{Main|Business career of Mitt Romney}}

After receiving his JD–MBA from Harvard, Romney passed the Michigan bar exam but decided to pursue a career in business rather than law.Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, p. 97. He was recruited by several large companies but joined the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), reasoning that working as a management consultant for a variety of companies would better prepare him for a future position as a chief executive. Part of a 1970s wave of top graduates who chose to go into consulting rather than join a large company directly,{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/sunday-review/consultant-nation.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111211025543/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/sunday-review/consultant-nation.html |archive-date=December 11, 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Consultant Nation |author=Leonhardt, David |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 11, 2011 |author-link=David Leonhardt}} he found his legal and business education useful in his job. He applied BCG principles such as the growth-share matrix, and executives viewed him as having a bright future there.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/us/politics/mitt-romney-and-benjamin-netanyahu-are-old-friends.html |title=A Friendship Dating to 1976 Resonates in 2012 |first=Michael |last=Barbaro |newspaper=The New York Times |date=April 7, 2012 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-date=January 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170117080821/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/us/politics/mitt-romney-and-benjamin-netanyahu-are-old-friends.html |url-status=live}} At BCG, he was a colleague of Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he formed a friendship that has lasted for more than 50 years.{{cite news |title=A Friendship Dating From 1976 Resonates in 2012 |last=Barbaro |first=Michael |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/us/politics/mitt-romney-and-benjamin-netanyahu-are-old-friends.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=April 7, 2012 |access-date=April 7, 2012 |archive-date=April 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120408215016/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/us/politics/mitt-romney-and-benjamin-netanyahu-are-old-friends.html |url-status=live}}

In 1977, he was hired by Bain & Company, a management consulting firm in Boston formed a few years earlier by Bill Bain and several other ex-BCG employees.Hewitt, A Mormon in the White House?, pp. 48–49. Bain later said of the 30-year-old Romney, "He had the appearance of confidence of a guy who was maybe ten years older."{{Cite news |first=David D. |last=Kirkpatrick |title=Romney's Fortunes Tied to Business Riches |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/04/us/politics/04bain.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070606141352/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/04/us/politics/04bain.html |archive-date=June 6, 2007 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 4, 2007}} Unlike other consulting firms, which issued recommendations and then departed, Bain & Company immersed itself in a client's businesses and worked with them until changes were implemented. Romney became a vice president of the firm in 1978, working with such clients as the Monsanto Company, Outboard Marine Corporation, Burlington Industries, and Corning Incorporated. Within a few years, the firm considered him one of its best consultants. In fact, clients sometimes preferred to use him rather than more-senior partners.

Two family incidents during this time later surfaced during Romney's political campaigns.{{cite news |url=https://www.deseret.com/2012/5/7/20502075/the-story-behind-mitt-romney-s-1981-arrest-for-disorderly-conduct |title=The story behind Mitt Romney's 1981 arrest for disorderly conduct |first=Jamshid Ghazi |last=Askar |newspaper=Deseret News |date=May 7, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206173242/https://www.deseret.com/2012/5/7/20502075/the-story-behind-mitt-romney-s-1981-arrest-for-disorderly-conduct |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-dog-on-the-car-roof-story-still-proves-to-be-his-critics-best-friend/2012/03/14/gIQAp2LxCS_story.html |title=Mitt Romney's dog-on-the-car-roof story still proves to be his critics' best friend |first=Philip |last=Rucker |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=March 14, 2012 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=September 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902184247/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-dog-on-the-car-roof-story-still-proves-to-be-his-critics-best-friend/2012/03/14/gIQAp2LxCS_story.html |url-status=live}} A state park ranger in 1981 told Romney his motorboat had an insufficiently visible license number and that he would face a $50 fine if he took the boat onto the lake. Disagreeing about the license and wanting to continue a family outing, Romney took it out anyway, saying he would pay the fine. The ranger arrested him for disorderly conduct. The charges were dropped several days later.{{cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/61957067.html?dids=61957067:61957067&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720230245/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/61957067.html?dids=61957067:61957067&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |title=GOP hopeful arrested in 1981; Charge dismissed in boating case |author=Phillips, Frank |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=May 5, 1994 |page=37 |archive-date=July 20, 2011}} In 1983, on a 12-hour family road trip, he placed the family's dog in a windshield-equipped carrier on the roof of their car, and then washed the car and carrier after the dog suffered a bout of diarrhea. The dog incident in particular later became fodder for Romney's critics and political opponents.{{cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2012/01/08/what_our_fascination_with_mitt_romneys_dog_seamus_says_about_our_culture/ |url-status=live |title=What our fascination with Mitt Romney's dog Seamus says about our culture |author=Swidey, Neil |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=January 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120610211419/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2012/01/08/what_our_fascination_with_mitt_romneys_dog_seamus_says_about_our_culture/?page=full |archive-date=June 10, 2012}}

{{Further|Bain Capital}}

In 1984, Romney left Bain & Company to co-found and lead the spin-off private equity investment firm Bain Capital.{{Cite news |author=Pappu, Sridhar |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2005/09/the-holy-cow-candidate/304196/ |title=The Holy Cow! Candidate |magazine=The Atlantic Monthly |date=September 2005 |access-date=March 10, 2017 |archive-date=December 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204114855/http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2005/09/the-holy-cow-candidate/304196/ |url-status=live}} He initially refrained from accepting Bill Bain's offer to head the new venture until Bain rearranged the terms in a complicated partnership structure so that there was no financial or professional risk to Romney. Bain and Romney raised the $37 million needed to start the new operation, which had seven employees. Romney held the titles of president{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8199011.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117074421/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8199011.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |title=Bain & Co. plans major layoffs, Boston staff hardest hit |first=Gordon |last=McKibben |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=October 30, 1990}} and managing general partner.{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7645576.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117074312/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7645576.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |title=Bain agrees to reshape ownership |first=Diane E. |last=Lewis |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=January 30, 1991}} Though he was the sole shareholder of the firm, publications also called him managing director or CEO.{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8473315.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117074319/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8473315.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |title=Dad's ideas live on – and in others |first=Mitt |last=Romney |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 21, 1998}}{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8329806.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117074348/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8329806.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |title=They're trying to sell volunteerism up the river |first=David |last=Nyhan |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=May 28, 1995}}Romney, Turnaround, pp. 15–16.

Initially, Bain Capital focused on venture capital investments. Romney set up a system in which any partner could veto one of these potential opportunities, and he personally saw so many weaknesses that few venture capital investments were approved in the initial two years. The firm's first significant success was a 1986 investment to help start Staples Inc., after founder Thomas G. Stemberg convinced Romney of the market size for office supplies and Romney convinced others; Bain Capital eventually reaped a nearly sevenfold return on its investment, and Romney sat on Staples's board of directors for over a decade.{{cite news |url=https://nymag.com/print/?/news/politics/mitt-romney-2011-10/ |title=Mitt Romney and the 1% Economy |author=Wallace-Wells, Benjamin |magazine=New York |date=October 23, 2011 |access-date=February 18, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083601/http://nymag.com/print/?/news/politics/mitt-romney-2011-10/ |url-status=live}}

Romney soon switched Bain Capital's focus from startups to the relatively new business of leveraged buyouts: buying existing companies with money mostly borrowed from banking institutions using the newly bought companies' assets as collateral, taking steps to improve the companies' value, and then selling those companies when their value peaked, usually within a few years. Bain Capital lost money in many of its early leveraged buyouts, but then found deals that made large returns. The firm invested in or acquired Accuride Corporation, Brookstone, Domino's Pizza, Sealy Corporation, Sports Authority, and Artisan Entertainment, as well as some lesser-known companies in the industrial and medical sectors.{{Cite news |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2001/08/20/daily27.html |title=Bain Capital's Romney aiming for politics after Olympics |newspaper=Boston Business Journal |date=August 23, 2001 |access-date=June 6, 2007 |archive-date=December 20, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220040313/http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2001/08/20/daily27.html |url-status=live}} Much of the firm's profit was earned from a relatively small number of deals; Bain Capital's overall success-to-failure ratio was about even.{{#tag:ref|One study of 68 deals that Bain Capital made during Romney's time there found that the firm lost money or broke even on 33 of them. Another study that looked at the eight-year period following 77 deals during Romney's time found that in 17 cases the company went bankrupt or out of business, and in 6 cases Bain Capital lost all its investment. But 10 deals were very successful and represented 70 percent of the total profits.{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204331304577140850713493694 |title=Romney at Bain: Big Gains, Some Busts |author=Maremont, Mark |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=January 9, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=December 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216222541/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204331304577140850713493694 |url-status=live}} |group="nb"}}

Romney discovered few investment opportunities himself (and those that he did often failed to make money for the firm). Instead, he focused on analyzing the merits of possible deals that others brought forward and on recruiting investors to participate in them once approved.Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, pp. 141, 155. At Bain Capital, Romney spread profits from deals widely within the firm to keep people motivated, often keeping less than 10% for himself. Data-driven, he often played the role of a devil's advocate during exhaustive analysis of whether to go forward with a deal. He wanted to drop a Bain Capital hedge fund that initially lost money, but other partners disagreed with him and it eventually made billions. He opted out of the Artisan Entertainment deal, not wanting to profit from a studio that produced R-rated films. Romney served on the board of directors of Damon Corporation, a medical testing company later found guilty of defrauding the government; Bain Capital tripled its investment before selling off the company, and the fraud was discovered by the new owners (Romney was never implicated). In some cases, Romney had little involvement with a company once Bain Capital acquired it.

Bain Capital's leveraged buyouts sometimes led to layoffs, either soon after acquisition or later after the firm had concluded its role.{{Cite news |url=http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/06/04/romneys-presidential-run-throws-spotlight-on-bain-capital/ |title=Romney's Presidential Run Puts Spotlight on Bain Capital |author=Sorkin, Andrew Ross |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 4, 2007 |author-link=Andrew Ross Sorkin |access-date=May 2, 2010 |archive-date=August 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807181626/http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/06/04/romneys-presidential-run-throws-spotlight-on-bain-capital/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |last1=Blum |first1=Justin |first2=Lisa |last2=Lerer |title=Romney's Record Defies Image as Job-Creator |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=July 20, 2011 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-20/romney-as-job-creator-clashes-with-bain-record-of-job-cuts.html |access-date=March 10, 2017 |archive-date=October 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027115959/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-20/romney-as-job-creator-clashes-with-bain-record-of-job-cuts.html |url-status=live}} Exactly how many jobs Bain Capital added compared to those lost because of these investments and buyouts is unknown, owing to a lack of records and Bain Capital's penchant for privacy for itself and its investors.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/us/politics/after-mitt-romney-deal-company-showed-profits-and-then-layoffs.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113004917/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/us/politics/after-mitt-romney-deal-company-showed-profits-and-then-layoffs.html |archive-date=November 13, 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=After a Romney Deal, Profits and Then Layoffs |author=Barbaro, Michael |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 13, 2011 |page=A1}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/fact-checker-biography-romneys-claims-about-bain-capital-job-creation/2011/10/28/gIQAA447cM_blog.html |title=Romney's claims about Bain Capital job creation |author=Hicks, Josh |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 2, 2011 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=December 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217215719/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/fact-checker-biography-romneys-claims-about-bain-capital-job-creation/2011/10/28/gIQAA447cM_blog.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71344.html |title=Mitt Romney's Bain Capital days: A black box |author=Hagey, Keach |newspaper=Politico |date=January 11, 2012 |access-date=January 13, 2012 |archive-date=June 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628162721/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71344.html |url-status=live}} Maximizing the value of acquired companies and the return to Bain's investors, not job creation, was the firm's primary investment goal.{{cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/27/as_bain_slashed_jobs_romney_stayed_to_side/ |title=As Bain slashed jobs, Romney stayed to side |author=Gavin, Robert |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=January 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021193945/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/27/as_bain_slashed_jobs_romney_stayed_to_side/?page=all |archive-date=October 21, 2013}} Bain Capital's acquisition of Ampad exemplified a deal where it profited handsomely from early payments and management fees, even though the subject company itself later went into bankruptcy. Dade Behring was another case where Bain Capital received an eightfold return on its investment but the company itself was saddled with debt and laid off over a thousand employees before Bain Capital exited (the company subsequently went into bankruptcy, with more layoffs, before recovering and prospering). Referring to the layoffs that sometimes occurred, Romney said in 2007: "Sometimes the medicine is a little bitter but it is necessary to save the life of the patient. My job was to try and make the enterprise successful, and in my view the best security a family can have is that the business they work for is strong."

In 1990, facing financial collapse, Bain & Company asked Romney to return. Announced as its new CEO in January 1991,{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/01/30/business/business-people-bain-names-chief-executive-and-begins-a-reorganization.html |title=Bain Names Chief Executive And Begins a Reorganization |author=Fabrikant, Geraldine |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 30, 1991 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-date=December 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215223421/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/01/30/business/business-people-bain-names-chief-executive-and-begins-a-reorganization.html |url-status=live}} he drew a symbolic salary of one dollar (remaining managing general partner of Bain Capital during this time). He oversaw an effort to restructure Bain & Company's employee stock-ownership plan and real-estate deals, while rallying the firm's 1,000 employees, imposing a new governing structure that excluded Bain and the other founding partners from control, and increasing fiscal transparency. He got Bain and other initial owners who had removed excessive amounts of money from the firm to return substantial amounts, and persuaded creditors, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, to accept less than full payment.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/did-mitt-romney-get-a-bailout-for-bain-and-company/2012/07/24/gJQAvzSh7W_blog.html |title=Did Mitt Romney get a 'bailout' for Bain & Company? |first=Glenn |last=Kessler |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 25, 2012 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=May 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529054111/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/did-mitt-romney-get-a-bailout-for-bain-and-company/2012/07/24/gJQAvzSh7W_blog.html |url-status=live}} Within about a year, he led Bain & Company to a return to profitability.{{Cite news |author=Rees, Matthew |url=http://www.american.com/archive/2006/december/mitt-romney/ |title=Mister PowerPoint Goes to Washington |magazine=The American |date=December 1, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130094507/http://www.american.com/archive/2006/december/mitt-romney/ |archive-date=January 30, 2012}} He then turned it over to new leadership and returned to Bain Capital in December 1992.{{Cite news |url=http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070224/NEWS/702240385/1052/RSS01 |title=Romney urges states to divest from Iran despite links to business interests there |author=Johnson, Glen |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Telegram & Gazette |location=Worcester |date=February 24, 2007 |access-date=May 2, 2010 |archive-date=September 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925192820/https://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070224/NEWS/702240385/1052/RSS01 |url-status=dead}}Hewitt, A Mormon in the White House, p. 51.

Romney took a leave of absence from Bain Capital from November 1993 to November 1994 to run for U.S. Senate.{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8299040.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117074326/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8299040.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |title=Romney agrees to talk; union balks |first=Frank |last=Phillips |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=October 8, 1994}} During that time, Ampad workers went on strike and asked Romney to intervene. Against the advice of Bain Capital lawyers, Romney met the strikers, but told them he had no position of active authority in the matter.{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8299231.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117074407/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8299231.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |title=Romney meets with strikers Ind. workers say nothing resolved |first=Meg |last=Vaillancourt |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=October 10, 1994}}{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8310951.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117074343/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8310951.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |title=Strike-bound factory tied to Romney during US Senate race is set to close |first=Frank |last=Phillips |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=January 5, 1995}}

By 1999, Bain Capital was on its way to becoming one of the foremost private equity firms in the nation, having increased its number of partners from 5 to 18, with 115 employees and $4 billion under management. The firm's average annual internal rate of return on realized investments was 113%{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/297/metro/Business_record_helps_hinder_Romney+.shtml |title=Business record helps, hinders Romney |first1=Thomas |last1=Farragher |first2=Scott Bernard |last2=Nelson |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=October 24, 2002 |page=A1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021103004449/http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/297/metro/Business_record_helps_hinder_Romney%2B.shtml |archive-date=November 3, 2002 |url-status=dead}} and its average yearly return to investors was around 50–80%.

Starting in February 1999, Romney took a paid leave of absence from Bain Capital in order to serve as the president and CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games Organizing Committee.{{cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2012/07/20/romney_kept_reins_bargained_hard_on_severance/ |title=Romney kept reins, bargained hard on severance |first1=Beth |last1=Healy |first2=Michael |last2=Kranish |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=July 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825150025/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2012/07/20/romney_kept_reins_bargained_hard_on_severance/?page=full |archive-date=August 25, 2012}}{{cite news |title=Romney Stayed Longer at Bain |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=July 12, 2012 |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2012/07/12/government_documents_indicate_mitt_romney_continued_at_bain_after_date_when_he_says_he_left/ |first1=Callum |last1=Borchers |first2=Christopher |last2=Rowland |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715052931/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2012/07/12/government_documents_indicate_mitt_romney_continued_at_bain_after_date_when_he_says_he_left/?page=full |archive-date=July 15, 2012}} Billed in some public statements as keeping a part-time role,{{cite news |newspaper=Boston Herald |first=Greg |last=Gatlin |title=Romney Looks To Restore Olympic Pride |date=February 12, 1999 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-57110202.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502155203/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-57110202.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 2, 2013}} Romney remained the firm's sole shareholder, managing director, CEO, and president, signing corporate and legal documents, attending to his interests within the firm, and conducting prolonged negotiations for the terms of his departure.{{cite news |url=http://www.macombdaily.com/article/20120725/NEWS06/120729692/fact-check-romney-met-bain-partners-after-exit&pager=full_story |title=Fact Check: Romney Met Bain Partners After Exit |first1=Stephen |last1=Braun |first2=Jack |last2=Gillum |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Macomb Daily |date=July 25, 2012 |access-date=April 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821003818/http://www.macombdaily.com/article/20120725/NEWS06/120729692/fact-check-romney-met-bain-partners-after-exit%26pager%3Dfull_story |archive-date=August 21, 2017 |url-status=dead}} He did not involve himself in the firm's day-to-day operations or the investment decisions of its new private equity funds. He retained his position on several boards of directors during this time and regularly returned to Massachusetts to attend meetings.{{cite news |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78463.html |title=Mitt Romney did business in Massachusetts during Olympics |first=Alexander |last=Burns |newspaper=Politico |date=July 12, 2012 |access-date=September 7, 2012 |archive-date=August 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829040929/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78463.html |url-status=live}}

In August 2001, Romney announced that he would not return to Bain Capital. His separation from the firm concluded in early 2002; he transferred his ownership to other partners and negotiated an agreement that allowed him to receive a share of the profits as a retired partner in some Bain Capital entities, including buyout and investment funds.{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293140,00.html |title=Romney Worth As Much As $250 Million |last=Kuhnhenn |first=Jim |date=August 14, 2007 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204023043/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293140,00.html |archive-date=February 4, 2012 |access-date=March 21, 2010 |agency=Associated Press}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/19/us/politics/retirement-deal-keeps-bain-money-flowing-to-romney.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111219222756/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/19/us/politics/retirement-deal-keeps-bain-money-flowing-to-romney.html |archive-date=December 19, 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Buyout Profits Keep Flowing to Romney |author=Confessore, Nicholas |author2=Drew, Christopher |author3=Creswell, Julie |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 18, 2011}} The private equity business continued to thrive, earning him millions of dollars in annual income.

During his business career, Romney held several positions in the church's local lay clergy. In the early 1970s, he served in a ward bishopric. He then served for a time as a seminary teacher and then as a member of the stake high council of the Boston Stake while Richard L. Bushman was stake president.

In 1977, he became a counselor to the president of the Boston Stake.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romneys-rise-through-the-ranks-of-the-mormon-church-in-boston/2012/08/19/bbb2ec96-cad3-11e1-aea8-34e2e47d1571_story.html |title=Romney's rise through the ranks of the Mormon Church in Boston |first=Jason |last=Horowitz |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 19, 2012 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=August 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821050406/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romneys-rise-through-the-ranks-of-the-mormon-church-in-boston/2012/08/19/bbb2ec96-cad3-11e1-aea8-34e2e47d1571_story.html |url-status=live}} He served as bishop of the ward at Belmont, Massachusetts, from 1981 to 1986.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121401846.html |title=In Mitt Romney's Neighborhood, A Mormon Temple Casts a Shadow |last=Pappu |first=Sridhar |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 15, 2007 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083757/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121401846.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/16/us/politics/for-romney-a-role-of-faith-and-authority.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016171155/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/16/us/politics/for-romney-a-role-of-faith-and-authority.html |archive-date=October 16, 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=For Romney, a Role of Faith and Authority |last=Stolberg |first=Sheryl Gay |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 15, 2011 |page=1 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} As such, in addition to home teaching, he also formulated Sunday services and classes using LDS scriptures to guide the congregation. After the destruction of the Belmont meetinghouse by a fire of suspicious origins in 1984, he forged links with other religious institutions, allowing the congregation to rotate its meetings to other houses of worship during the reconstruction of the Belmont building.{{cite news |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2011/12/06/romney-mormonism |title=At Belmont Temple, Romney Was An Influential Leader |last=Brady-Myerov |first=Monica |work=WBUR |date=December 6, 2011 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206120214/https://www.wbur.org/news/2011/12/06/romney-mormonism |url-status=live}}

From 1986 to 1994, Romney was president of the Boston Stake, which included more than a dozen wards in eastern Massachusetts and almost 4,000 church members.{{cite news |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |first=Alana |last=Semuels |date=December 7, 2011 |title=Romney, an active man of faith |url=https://www.latimes.com/la-xpm-2011-dec-07-la-na-romney-faith-20111208-story.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206120210/https://www.latimes.com/la-xpm-2011-dec-07-la-na-romney-faith-20111208-story.html |url-status=live}}Hersh, The Shadow President, p. 123. He organized a team to handle financial and management issues, sought to counter anti-Mormon sentiment, and tried to solve social problems among poor Southeast Asian converts. An unpaid position, his local church leadership often took 30 or more hours a week of his time, and he became known for his considerable energy in the role. He also earned a reputation for avoiding any overnight travel that might interfere with his church responsibilities.

Romney took a hands-on role in the Boston Stake's matters, helping in domestic maintenance efforts, visiting the sick, and counseling burdened church members. A number of local church members later credited him with turning their lives around or helping them through difficult times. Others, rankled by his leadership style, desired a more consensus-based approach. Romney tried to balance the conservative directives from church leadership in Utah with the desire of some Massachusetts members to have a more flexible application of religious doctrine.{{cite news |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/politics/2012/02/mitt-romney-201202 |title=The Meaning of Mitt |author-link=Michael Kranish |last1=Kranish |first1=Michael |last2=Helman |first2=Scott |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=January 4, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=October 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007095517/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/politics/2012/02/mitt-romney-201202 |url-status=live}} He agreed with some requests from a liberal women's group that published Exponent II calling for changes in the way the church dealt with women, but he clashed with women he felt were departing too much from doctrine. In particular, he counseled women not to have abortions except in the rare cases allowed by LDS doctrine and encouraged unmarried women facing unplanned pregnancies to give their babies up for adoption. Romney later said that the years spent as an LDS minister gave him direct exposure to people struggling financially and empathy for those with family problems.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/us/politics/gingrichs-rise-prompts-romney-to-speak-more-of-mormon-role.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111214033040/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/us/politics/gingrichs-rise-prompts-romney-to-speak-more-of-mormon-role.html |archive-date=December 14, 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=As Rivalry Tightens, Romney Is Reflective |author=Parker, Ashley |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 13, 2011}}

{{Main|1994 United States Senate election in Massachusetts}}

File:Romney 1994 No Watermark.jpg, 1994]]

For much of his business career, Romney did not take public political stances.Hersh, The Shadow President, p. 139.Canellos, The Last Lion, p. 295. He had kept abreast of national politics since college, and the circumstances of his father's presidential campaign loss had irked him for decades. He registered as an Independent and voted in the 1992 presidential primaries for the Democratic former senator from Massachusetts, Paul Tsongas.{{cite news |url=https://slate.com/business/2007/02/how-mitt-romney-s-corporate-success-explains-his-campaign-and-his-flip-flops.html |title=The CEO Candidate |author=Gross, Daniel |magazine=Slate |date=February 26, 2007 |author-link=Daniel Gross (journalist) |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206120214/https://slate.com/business/2007/02/how-mitt-romney-s-corporate-success-explains-his-campaign-and-his-flip-flops.html |url-status=live}}

By 1993, Romney had begun thinking about entering politics, partly on Ann's urging and also to follow in his father's footsteps. He decided to challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. senator Ted Kennedy, who was seeking reelection to a sixth term. Political pundits viewed Kennedy as vulnerable that year, in part because of the unpopularity of the Democratic Congress as a whole, and in part because this was Kennedy's first election since the William Kennedy Smith trial in Florida, in which Kennedy's reputation had suffered.{{Cite news |author=Marcus, Ruth |title=Clinton Gets a Sense of the Real Thing; Kennedy and Massachusetts Democrats Put on a Campaign Rally |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 21, 1994}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4LEaAAAAIBAJ&pg=6812,1794559 |title=Ted Kennedy lacks luster as he seeks re-election |author=Trott, Robert W. |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Daily News |location=Bowling Green, Kentucky |date=July 17, 1994 |page=12C |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208095737/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4LEaAAAAIBAJ&pg=6812,1794559 |url-status=live}} Romney changed his affiliation to Republican in October 1993 and formally announced his candidacy in February 1994. In addition to his leave from Bain Capital, Romney also stepped down from his church leadership role in 1994.

Radio personality Janet Jeghelian took an early lead in polls among candidates for the Republican nomination for the Senate seat, but Romney proved the most effective fundraiser.{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8273657.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502155821/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8273657.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 2, 2013 |title=Romney leads GOP Senate hopefuls in race for funds |first=Frank |last=Phillips |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=April 5, 1994}}Hersh, The Shadow President, pp. 124, 126–127. He won 68% of the vote at the May 1994 Massachusetts Republican Party convention; businessman John Lakian finished a distant second, eliminating Jeghelian.{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8279357.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502183752/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8279357.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 2, 2013 |title=Romney wins GOP approval; Given the nod for US Senate |first=Frank |last=Phillips |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=May 15, 1994}} Romney defeated Lakian in the September 1994 primary with more than 80% of the vote.{{Cite news |title=Romney will oppose Sen. Kennedy in Nov |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Providence Journal |date=September 21, 1994 |page=B1}}

In the general election, Kennedy faced the first serious reelection challenge of his career. The younger, telegenic, and well-funded Romney ran as a businessman who said he had created 10,000 jobs and as a Washington outsider with a solid family image and moderate stances on social issues.{{Cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/02/19/chapter_5_trials__redemption/ |title=Ted Kennedy: Chapter 5: Trials & Redemptions: An untidy private life, then a turn to stability |author=Kahn, Joseph P. |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=February 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222080513/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/02/19/chapter_5_trials__redemption |archive-date=February 22, 2009}}Clymer, Edward M. Kennedy, p. 549. When Kennedy tried to tie Romney's policies to those of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, Romney responded, "Look, I was an independent during the time of Reagan-Bush. I'm not trying to take us back to Reagan-Bush."{{cite news |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2011/nov/29/democratic-national-committee/dnc-calls-out-romneys-evolving-affection-reagan/ |title=DNC calls out Romney's evolving affection for Reagan |publisher=PolitiFact.com |date=November 29, 2011 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206120212/https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2011/nov/29/democratic-national-committee/dnc-calls-out-romneys-evolving-affection-reagan/ |url-status=live}} Romney said, "Ultimately, this is a campaign about change."Clymer, Edward M. Kennedy, p. 553.

Romney's campaign was effective in portraying Kennedy as soft on crime but had trouble establishing its own consistent positions.Hersh, The Shadow President, pp. 128–129, 139. By mid-September 1994, polls showed the race about even.{{Cite news |first=Sarah |last=Rimer |title=Kennedy's Wife Is Giving Him a Political Advantage in a Difficult Contest |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/24/us/1994-campaign-kennedy-s-wife-giving-him-political-advantage-difficult-contest.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 24, 1994 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-date=October 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022114657/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/24/us/1994-campaign-kennedy-s-wife-giving-him-political-advantage-difficult-contest.html |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Gordon |first=Al |url=http://www.algordon.com/writing/page15/assets/kennedy_in_fight_of_his_political_life_10-02-1994.html |title=Kennedy in Fight of His Political Life |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830203417/http://www.algordon.com/writing/page15/assets/kennedy_in_fight_of_his_political_life_10-02-1994.html |archive-date=August 30, 2009 |work=Newsday, Nassau and Suffolk edition |page=A4 |date=October 2, 1994 |access-date=October 29, 2006}} Kennedy responded with a series of ads that focused on Romney's seemingly shifting political views on issues such as abortion;Hersh, The Shadow President, pp. 141–142. Romney responded, "I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country."{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/romney-contradicts-past-comments-on-abortion/ |title=Romney contradicts past comments on abortion |first=Brian |last=Montopoli |work=CBS News |date=January 16, 2012 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=October 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021193900/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57359886-503544/romney-contradicts-past-comments-on-abortion/ |url-status=live}} Other Kennedy ads centered on layoffs of workers at the Ampad plant owned by Bain Capital.{{cite news |author1=Apple Jr. |author2=R. W. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/26/us/1994-campaign-massachusetts-kennedy-romney-meet-rancor-flows-freely.html |title=Kennedy and Romney Meet, and the Rancor Flows Freely |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 26, 1994 |author-link=R. W. Apple Jr. |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-date=March 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310084838/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/26/us/1994-campaign-massachusetts-kennedy-romney-meet-rancor-flows-freely.html |url-status=live}} The latter was effective in blunting Romney's momentum. Kennedy and Romney held a widely watched late October debate that had no clear winner, but by then, Kennedy had pulled ahead in polls and remained so.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/27/us/the-1994-campaign-massachusetts-kennedy-and-romney-look-to-round-2.html |title=Kennedy and Romney Look to Round 2 |author=Clymer, Adam |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 27, 1994 |author-link=Adam Clymer |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-date=October 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022114801/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/27/us/the-1994-campaign-massachusetts-kennedy-and-romney-look-to-round-2.html |url-status=live}} Romney spent $3 million of his own money on the race and more than $7 million overall.{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8303189.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502143606/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8303189.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 2, 2013 |title=2 million may vote on Weld–Roosevelt, Kennedy–Romney |first=Scot |last=Lehigh |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=November 8, 1994}}{{#tag:ref|Kennedy spent $10.5 million overall, including a $1.5 million loan to himself.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vwASAAAAIBAJ&pg=6451,26718 |title=Kennedy reports $1.3 million debt |newspaper=The Gainesville Sun |date=August 1, 1995 |page=5A |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608020647/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vwASAAAAIBAJ&pg=6451%2C26718 |url-status=live}} This was the second-most expensive race of the 1994 election cycle, after the Dianne Feinstein–Michael Huffington Senate race in California.|group="nb"}} Despite a disastrous showing for Democrats nationwide, Kennedy won the election with 58% of the vote to Romney's 41%, the smallest margin in any of Kennedy's reelection campaigns for the Senate.{{cite book |last=Kennedy |first=Edward M. |author-link=Ted Kennedy |title=True Compass |publisher=Twelve |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-446-53925-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/truecompassmemoi00kenn/page/448 448] |title-link=True Compass}}

The day after the election, Romney returned to Bain Capital, but the loss had a lasting effect; he told his brother, "I never want to run for something again unless I can win."

When his father died in 1995, Mitt donated his inheritance to BYU's George W. Romney Institute of Public Management.{{cite interview |title=Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts) |date=March 19, 2006 |url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?191449-1/qa-mitt-romney |last=Romney |first=Mitt |interviewer=Brian Lamb |work=Q&A |publisher=C-SPAN |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083841/https://www.c-span.org/video/?191449-1/qa-mitt-romney |url-status=live}} He also became vice-chair of the board of the Points of Light Foundation,{{cite news |url=https://www.deseret.com/2001/8/20/19602551/public-service-for-romney |title=Public service for Romney |author=Roche, Lisa Riley |author2=Bernick Jr., Bob |newspaper=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City |date=August 20, 2001 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207130859/https://www.deseret.com/2001/8/20/19602551/public-service-for-romney |url-status=live}} which had embraced his father's National Volunteer Center. Romney felt restless as the decade neared a close; making more money held little attraction for him.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/us/politics/19romney.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029161106/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/us/politics/19romney.html |archive-date=October 29, 2007 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=In Olympics Success, Romney Found New Edge |author=Johnson, Kirk |newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 19, 2007}} Although no longer in a local leadership position in his church, he still taught Sunday School. During the long and controversial approval and construction process for the $30-million Mormon temple in Belmont, he feared that, as a political figure who had opposed Kennedy, he would become a focal point for opposition to the structure. He thus kept to a limited, behind-the-scenes role in attempts to ease tensions between the church and local residents.

{{Further|2002 Winter Olympics}}

File:Orrin Hatch and Mitt Romney.jpg at a press conference on Olympic security in October 2001]]

In 1998, Ann Romney learned that she had multiple sclerosis; Mitt described watching her fail a series of neurological tests as the worst day of his life. After experiencing two years of severe difficulties with the disease, she found – while living in Park City, Utah, where the couple had built a vacation home – a combination of mainstream, alternative, and equestrian therapies that enabled her to lead a lifestyle mostly without limitations.{{Cite news |title=Ann Romney: From the Saddle to the Campaign Trail |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=3477592 |work=ABC News |date=August 14, 2007 |access-date=August 19, 2007 |archive-date=July 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725161817/http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=3477592 |url-status=live}} When her husband received a job offer to take over the troubled organization responsible for the 2002 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, to be held in Salt Lake City in Utah, she urged him to accept it; eager for a new challenge, as well as another chance to prove himself in public life, he did. On February 11, 1999, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games of 2002 hired Romney as its president and CEO.{{Cite news |author=Call, Jeff |url=https://magazine.byu.edu/article/the-fire-within/ |title=The Fire Within |magazine=BYU Magazine |date=Winter 2002 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207130857/https://magazine.byu.edu/article/the-fire-within/ |url-status=live}}

File:Romney Olympics.JPG for the 2002 Winter Olympics, speaking before a curling match]]

Before Romney took over, the event was $379 million short of its revenue goals. Officials had made plans to scale back the Games to compensate for the fiscal crisis, and there were fears it might be moved away entirely.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ULgKAAAAIBAJ&pg=3197,1083753 |title=Officials deny Salt Lake could lose 2002 Olympics |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Bryan Times |date=January 12, 1999 |page=13 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204190642/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ULgKAAAAIBAJ&pg=3197,1083753 |url-status=live}} In addition, the Games' image had been damaged by allegations of bribery against top officials including prior committee president and CEO Frank Joklik. The Salt Lake Organizing Committee forced Joklik and committee vice president Dave Johnson to resign.{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/US/9901/10/ioc.bribery/index.html |title=Man who led Salt Lake's Olympic bid denies wrongdoing |publisher=CNN |date=January 10, 1999 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=August 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804044153/http://edition.cnn.com/US/9901/10/ioc.bribery/index.html |url-status=dead}} Utah power brokers, including Governor Mike Leavitt, searched for someone with a scandal-free reputation to take charge of the Olympics. They chose Romney based on his business and legal expertise as well as his connections to both the LDS Church and the state.{{cite book |last1=Ostling |first1=Richard |last2=Ostling |first2=Joan |title=Mormon America: The Power and the Promise |url=https://archive.org/details/mormonamericapow00ostl |url-access=registration |publisher=HarperCollins |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-06-066372-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/mormonamericapow00ostl/page/134 134]}} The appointment faced some initial criticism from both non-Mormons and Mormons that it represented cronyism and made the Games seem too Mormon-dominated.{{cite news |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/01/21/lives-of-the-saints |title=Lives of the Saints |last=Wright |first=Lawrence |magazine=The New Yorker |date=January 21, 2002 |author-link=Lawrence Wright |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=March 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324033934/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/01/21/lives-of-the-saints |url-status=live}} Romney donated to charity the $1.4 million in salary and severance payments he received for his three years as president and CEO, and also donated $1 million to the Olympics.{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/27/romneys_olympic_ties_helped_him_reap_campaign_funds/ |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Romney's Olympic ties helped him reap campaign funds |last=Hohler |first=Bob |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 28, 2007 |author-link=Bob Hohler |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008153329/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part5_side/ |archive-date=October 8, 2009 |access-date=February 7, 2020}}

Romney restructured the organization's leadership and policies. He reduced budgets and boosted fundraising, alleviating corporate sponsors' concerns while recruiting new ones. Romney worked to ensure the Games's safety after the September 11 attacks by coordinating a $300 million security budget.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/12/sports/olympics-the-man-in-charge-romney-s-future-after-salt-lake-a-guessing-game.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110201015612/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/12/sports/olympics-the-man-in-charge-romney-s-future-after-salt-lake-a-guessing-game.html |archive-date=February 1, 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Olympics: The Man in Charge: Romney's Future After Salt Lake A Guessing Game |author=Zernike, Kate |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 12, 2002}} He oversaw a $1.32 billion budget, 700 employees, and 26,000 volunteers. The federal government provided approximately $400 million{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-feb-03-na-olympics3-story.html |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title=GOP spat began with Olympics |first=Bob |last=Drogin |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=February 3, 2008 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207130855/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-feb-03-na-olympics3-story.html |url-status=live}} to $600 million{{cite news |last1=Dobner |first1=Jennifer |last2=Hunt |first2=Kasie |title=Romney led Olympics to success – with some help |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Yahoo! News |date=February 18, 2012 |url=https://news.yahoo.com/romney-led-olympics-success-help-085513182--spt.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041111/http://news.yahoo.com/romney-led-olympics-success-help-085513182--spt.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Helderman |first=Rosalind S. |title=Romney's work on Olympics, Mass. projects reveals complex history with earmarks |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romneys-work-on-olympics-mass-projects-reveals-a-complex-history-with-earmarks/2012/02/15/gIQAHJ72HR_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 16, 2012 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=January 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106034206/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romneys-work-on-olympics-mass-projects-reveals-a-complex-history-with-earmarks/2012/02/15/gIQAHJ72HR_story.html |url-status=live}} of that budget, much of it a result of Romney's having aggressively lobbied Congress and federal agencies.{{cite news |last=Isikoff |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Isikoff |title=Salt Lake City Olympics Earmarks a Double-Edged Sword for Romney |url=http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/18/10444876-salt-lake-city-olympics-earmarks-a-double-edged-sword-for-romney?lite |work=NBC News |date=February 18, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603073730/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/18/10444876-salt-lake-city-olympics-earmarks-a-double-edged-sword-for-romney?lite |archive-date=June 3, 2012}} It was a record level of federal funding for the staging of a U.S. Olympics.{{cite news |last=Karl |first=Jonathan |title=In '02 Romney touted D.C. connections, federal funds |url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/03/exclusive-in-02-romney-touted-d-c-connections-federal-funds/ |work=ABC News |date=March 2, 2012 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114225247/https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/03/exclusive-in-02-romney-touted-d-c-connections-federal-funds/ |url-status=live}} An additional $1.1 billion of indirect federal funding came to the state in the form of highway and transit projects.{{cite news |first=Kasie |last=Hunt |agency=Associated Press |title=Romney cites Olympics success, rivals are leery |newspaper=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City |date=February 18, 2012 |url=https://www.deseret.com/2012/2/18/20394184/romney-cites-olympics-success-rivals-are-leery |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207130855/https://www.deseret.com/2012/2/18/20394184/romney-cites-olympics-success-rivals-are-leery |url-status=live}}

Romney emerged as the local public face of the Olympic effort, appearing in photographs, in news stories, on collectible Olympics pins depicting him wrapped by an American flag, and on buttons carrying phrases like "Hey, Mitt, we love you!"{{cite news |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/government-elections-politics/choice-2012/artifact-10-mitt-romneys-olympic-pins/ |title=Artifact 10: Mitt Romney's Olympic Pins |first=Azmat |last=Khan |work=Frontline |publisher=PBS |date=October 1, 2012 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=September 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924225228/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/government-elections-politics/choice-2012/artifact-10-mitt-romneys-olympic-pins/ |url-status=live}} Organizing committee chair Robert H. Garff later said, "It was obvious that he had an agenda larger than just the Olympics", and that Romney wanted to use the Olympics to propel himself into the national spotlight and a political career. Garff believed the initial budget situation was not as bad as Romney portrayed, given there were still three years to reorganize. Utah Senator Bob Bennett said that much of the needed federal money was already in place. A Boston Globe analysis later found that the committee had nearly $1 billion in committed revenues at that time. Olympics critic Steve Pace, who led Utahns for Responsible Public Spending, thought Romney exaggerated the initial fiscal state to lay the groundwork for a well-publicized rescue.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/10-years-after-salt-lake-city-olympics-questions-about-romneys-contributions/2012/02/01/gIQABnCX9Q_story.html |title=10 years after Salt Lake City Olympics, questions about Romney's contributions |first=Amy |last=Shipley |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 12, 2012 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=November 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114160742/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/10-years-after-salt-lake-city-olympics-questions-about-romneys-contributions/2012/02/01/gIQABnCX9Q_story.html |url-status=live}} Kenneth Bullock, another board member of the organizing committee and also head of the Utah League of Cities and Towns, often clashed with Romney at the time, and later said that Romney deserved some credit for the turnaround but not as much as he claimed. Bullock said: "He tried very hard to build an image of himself as a savior, the great white hope. He was very good at characterizing and castigating people and putting himself on a pedestal."

Despite the initial fiscal shortfall, the Games ended up with a surplus of $100 million.{{Cite news |title=SLOC plotting how to dole out Olympics profits |date=September 17, 2002 |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/print?id=1433186 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818011414/https://www.espn.com/espn/print?id=1433186 |url-status=live}} President George W. Bush praised Romney's efforts and 87% of Utahns approved of his performance as Olympics head.Barone and Cohen, The Almanac of American Politics 2004, p. 772. It solidified his reputation as a "turnaround artist",{{Cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/28/in_games_a_showcase_for_future_races/ |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Part 5: In Games, a showcase for future races |last=Hohler |first=Bob |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 28, 2007 |author-link=Bob Hohler |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112073500/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part5_main/ |archive-date=January 12, 2010 |url-status=live}} Also [https://web.archive.org/web/20130502134243/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8706760.html available from HighBeam]. Also available as {{cite news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819115033/http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0%2C1249%2C680196503%2C00.html |title=Mitt used Games role for political impetus |work=Deseret News Morning News |date=July 5, 2007 |url=http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,680196503,00.html |archive-date=August 19, 2007}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newsweek.com/mitts-mission-103243 |title=Mitt's Mission |first1=Jonathan |last1=Darman |first2=Lida |last2=Miller |magazine=Newsweek |date=October 1, 2007 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207130855/https://www.newsweek.com/mitts-mission-103243 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=http://www.islandpacket.com/2008/01/12/128897/candidate-known-as-turnaround.html |title=Candidate known as turnaround artist |first=David |last=Lightman |agency=McClatchy-Tribune News Service |newspaper=The Island Packet |date=January 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614230911/http://www.islandpacket.com/2008/01/12/128897/candidate-known-as-turnaround.html |archive-date=June 14, 2013}} and Harvard Business School taught a case study based around his actions.{{cite news |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/10/29/the-mission-3 |title=The Mission: Mitt Romney's strategies for success |last=Lizza |first=Ryan |magazine=The New Yorker |date=October 29, 2007 |author-link=Ryan Lizza |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200119060623/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/10/29/the-mission-3 |url-status=live}} U.S. Olympic Committee head William Hybl credited Romney with an extraordinary effort in overcoming a difficult time for the Olympics, culminating in "the greatest Winter Games I have ever seen". Romney wrote a book about his experience, Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games, published in 2004. The role gave him experience in dealing with federal, state, and local entities, a public persona he had previously lacked, and the chance to relaunch his political aspirations.

File:President George W. Bush Poses with Mitt Romney at the United States Capitol Before Delivering the State of the Union Address (02).jpg George W. Bush in 2002]]

{{Main|2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial election}}

In 2002, plagued by political missteps and personal scandals, the administration of Republican acting governor of Massachusetts Jane Swift appeared vulnerable, and many Republicans viewed her as unable to win a general election.{{cite news |last=Frank |first=Mitch |url=http://www.time.com/time/columnist/frank/article/0,9565,219417,00.html |title=Jane Swift Takes One For the Team |magazine=Time |date=March 21, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030406181452/http://www.time.com/time/columnist/frank/article/0%2C9565%2C219417%2C00.html |archive-date=April 6, 2003 |url-status=dead}} Prominent party figures – as well as the White House – wanted Romney to run for governorBerwick Jr., Bob; Roche, Lisa Riley. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/897445/Boston-GOP-beseeching-Mitt.html "Boston GOP beseeching Mitt: But hero of S.L. Games is coy about his future"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313223320/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/897445/Boston-GOP-beseeching-Mitt.html |date=March 13, 2012 }} Deseret News (Salt Lake City), February 22, 2002. {{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2002/03/20/gops-swift-drops-out-romney-is-in/ |title=GOP's Swift drops out |first=Jeff |last=Zeleny |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=March 20, 2002 |access-date=May 20, 2012 |archive-date=September 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919233204/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-03-20/news/0203200179_1_massachusetts-governor-first-governor-mitt-romney |url-status=live}} and the opportunity appealed to him for reasons including its national visibility.Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, pp. 224–225. A Boston Herald poll showed Republicans favoring Romney over Swift by more than 50 percentage points.{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/03/19/massachusetts.governor/index.html |title=Swift exits, Romney joins Mass. governor's race |publisher=CNN |date=March 19, 2002 |access-date=January 8, 2014 |archive-date=January 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108195146/http://edition.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/03/19/massachusetts.governor/index.html |url-status=live}} On March 19, 2002, Swift announced she would not seek her party's nomination, and hours later Romney declared his candidacy, for which he would face no opposition in the primary. In June 2002, the Massachusetts Democratic Party challenged Romney's eligibility to run for governor, noting that state law required seven years' consecutive residence and that Romney had filed his state tax returns as a Utah resident in 1999 and 2000.{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-87037568.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502151752/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-87037568.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 2, 2013 |title=State Dems file challenge on residency of Romney |last1=Guarino |first1=David R. |last2=Crummy |first2=Karen E. |newspaper=Boston Herald |date=June 8, 2002}}{{cite news |last=Butterfield |first=Fox |author-link=Fox Butterfield |title=Republican's Candidacy Is Challenged By Democrats |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 8, 2002 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/08/us/republican-s-candidacy-is-challenged-by-democrats.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130320191720/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/08/us/republican-s-candidacy-is-challenged-by-democrats.html |archive-date=March 20, 2013 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}} In response, the bipartisan Massachusetts State Ballot Law Commission unanimously ruled that he had maintained sufficient financial and personal ties to Massachusetts to be an eligible candidate.{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-120282117.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502183559/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-120282117.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 2, 2013 |title=Mass. board confirms GOP gubernatorial candidate's residency |first=Evan |last=Osnos |author-link=Evan Osnos |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=June 25, 2002}}

Romney again ran as a political outsider. He played down his party affiliation, saying he was "not a partisan Republican" but rather a "moderate" with "progressive" views.{{cite news |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/13/democrats-rail-against-romney-over-decade-old-comments/ |title=Democrats rail against Romney over decade-old comments |author=Killough, Ashley |publisher=CNN |date=December 13, 2011 |access-date=December 19, 2011 |archive-date=December 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111214050837/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/13/democrats-rail-against-romney-over-decade-old-comments/ |url-status=dead}} See "[http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/12/romney-2002-moderate-progressive-not-partisan-Worcester Romney in 2002: I'm "Moderate," "Progressive," and "Not a Partisan Republican"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111217115131/http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/12/romney-2002-moderate-progressive-not-partisan-Worcester |date=December 17, 2011 }}" for video. He said he would observe a moratorium on changes to the state's laws on abortion, but reiterated that he would "preserve and protect a woman's right to choose" and that his position was "unequivocal". He touted his private sector experience as qualifying him for addressing the state's fiscal problems{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2002/races/ma_governor.html |title=Vote 2002: Massachusetts Governor's Race |website=PBS NewsHour |publisher=PBS |access-date=November 1, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030625184413/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2002/races/ma_governor.html |archive-date=June 25, 2003}} and stressed his ability to obtain federal funds for the state, offering his Olympics record as evidence. He proposed to reorganize the state government while eliminating waste, fraud, and mismanagement. The campaign innovatively utilized microtargeting techniques, identifying like-minded groups of voters and reaching them with narrowly tailored messaging.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/04/AR2007070401423.html |title=Romney's Data Cruncher |author=Cillizza, Chris |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 5, 2007 |author-link=Chris Cillizza |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=November 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112054945/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/04/AR2007070401423.html |url-status=live}}

In an attempt to overcome the image that had damaged him in the 1994 Senate race – that of a wealthy corporate buyout specialist out of touch with the needs of regular people – the campaign staged a series of "work days", in which Romney performed blue-collar jobs such as herding cows and baling hay, unloading a fishing boat, and hauling garbage.{{cite news |last=Klein |first=Rick |title=New Ads, 'Work Days' Show Down-to-Earth Candidate |newspaper=The Boston Globe |url=https://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/269/metro/New_ads_work_days_show_down_to_earth_candidate+.shtml |date=September 26, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021002043211/http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/269/metro/New_ads_work_days_show_down_to_earth_candidate%2B.shtml |archive-date=October 2, 2002 |url-status=dead}} Also available with photo as [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sVFOAAAAIBAJ&pg=1371,5073072 "Mitt takes his shirt off as campaign heats up"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204222108/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sVFOAAAAIBAJ&pg=1371,5073072 |date=December 4, 2020 }}, Deseret News, September 27, 2002. Television ads highlighting the effort, as well as one portraying his family in gushing terms and showing him shirtless, received a poor public response and were a factor in his Democratic opponent, Massachusetts State Treasurer Shannon O'Brien, leading in the polls as late as mid-October.{{cite news |last=Bayles |first=Fred |title=Romney may be losing his touch in Mass |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2002-10-15-massgov-usat_x.htm |newspaper=USA Today |date=October 16, 2002 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=October 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006134313/http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2002-10-15-massgov-usat_x.htm |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last=Miga |first=Andrew |title=Don't expect a warm and fuzzy Romney this fall |url=http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20120405/PC1603/120409549 |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Post and Courier |date=April 5, 2012 |access-date=June 3, 2012 |archive-date=September 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929154441/http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20120405/PC1603/120409549 |url-status=live}} He responded with ads that accused O'Brien of being a failed watchdog for state pension fund losses in the stock market and that associated her husband, a former lobbyist, with the Enron scandal. These were effective in capturing independent voters. O'Brien said that Romney's budget plans were unrealistic; the two also differed on capital punishment and bilingual education, with Romney supporting the former and opposing the latter.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/02/us/the-2002-campaign-the-accusations-tight-and-heated-race-rages-in-massachusetts.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130320191725/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/02/us/the-2002-campaign-the-accusations-tight-and-heated-race-rages-in-massachusetts.html |archive-date=March 20, 2013 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Tight and Heated Race Rages in Massachusetts |first=Pam |last=Belluck |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 2, 2002}}

During the election, Romney contributed more than $6 million – a state record at the time – to the nearly $10 million raised for his campaign.{{cite news |author=Mooney, Brian C. |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/politics/candidates/articles/2006/08/22/gabrieli_surpasses_spending_record/ |title=Gabrieli surpasses spending record |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=August 22, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103230438/http://www.boston.com/news/local/politics/candidates/articles/2006/08/22/gabrieli_surpasses_spending_record/ |archive-date=January 3, 2009}}{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-94133968.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121129232942/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-94133968.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 29, 2012 |title=Donor cash still floods campaigns |first=Ted |last=Bunker |newspaper=Boston Herald |date=November 11, 2002}} On November 5, 2002, he won the election with 50% of the vote to O'Brien's 45%.Barone and Cohen, Almanac of American Politics 2004, p. 773.

{{Main|Governorship of Mitt Romney}}

File:Mitt Romney speaking at Old North Church in Boston.jpg

Romney was sworn in as the 70th governor of Massachusetts on January 2, 2003.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7KFJAAAAIBAJ&pg=2500,518323 |title=Romney takes oath as governor |first=Jennifer |last=Peter |newspaper=Bangor Daily News |date=January 3, 2003 |page=B2 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205071849/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7KFJAAAAIBAJ&pg=2500,518323 |url-status=live}} He faced a Massachusetts state legislature with large Democratic majorities in both houses, and had picked his cabinet and advisors based more on managerial abilities than partisan affiliation.Barone and Cohen, Almanac of American Politics 2008, p. 789.{{cite news |url=http://www.tnr.com/article/parent-trap-how-mitt-romney-un-became-his-father |title=Parent Trap: How Mitt Romney un-became his father |author=Cohn, Jonathan |magazine=The New Republic |date=July 2, 2007 |author-link=Jonathan Cohn |access-date=December 23, 2010 |archive-date=September 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926194200/http://www.tnr.com/article/parent-trap-how-mitt-romney-un-became-his-father |url-status=live}} He declined a governor's salary of $135,000 during his term.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aCMzAAAAIBAJ&pg=5032,6034303 |title=Romney says he'd donate his salary |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Tuscaloosa News |date=May 30, 2007 |page=5A |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225095508/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aCMzAAAAIBAJ&pg=5032,6034303 |url-status=live}} Upon entering office in the middle of a fiscal year, he faced an immediate $650 million shortfall and a projected $3 billion deficit for the next year. Unexpected revenue of $1.0–1.3 billion from a previously enacted capital gains tax increase and $500 million in new federal grants decreased the deficit to $1.2–1.5 billion.{{cite news |url=http://www.factcheck.org/more_mitt_missteps.html |title=More Mitt Missteps |publisher=FactCheck |date=July 9, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070711050047/http://www.factcheck.org/more_mitt_missteps.html |archive-date=July 11, 2007}} Through a combination of spending cuts, increased fees, and removal of corporate tax loopholes,{{cite news |author=Landrigan, Kevin |url=http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071213/NEWS08/312130115/-1/news08 |title=Taxing Matter |newspaper=The Telegraph |location=Nashua, New Hampshire |date=December 13, 2007 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20080109195323/http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20071213%2FNEWS08%2F312130115%2F-1%2Fnews08 |archive-date=January 9, 2008 |url-status=dead}} the state achieved surpluses of around $600–700 million during Romney's last two full fiscal years in office, although it began running deficits again after that.{{#tag:ref|Official state figures for fiscal year 2005 (July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2005) declared a $594.4 million surplus. For fiscal 2006, the surplus was $720.9 million.{{cite web |url=http://www.mass.gov/treasury/docs/debt/disclosurearchive/2008/infostatementsupplement12-4-08.pdf |title=Information Statement Supplement |publisher=The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |date=December 4, 2008 |access-date=October 24, 2012 |page=A–12 |archive-date=December 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121218150132/http://www.mass.gov/treasury/docs/debt/disclosurearchive/2008/infostatementsupplement12-4-08.pdf |url-status=live}} During fiscal 2007, Romney cut $384 million in spending that the legislature wanted; in January 2007, midway through the fiscal year, incoming Governor Deval Patrick restored that amount,{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/07/patricks_reversal_of_cuts_brings_joy/ |title=Patrick's reversal of cuts brings joy |author=Carroll, Matt |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=January 7, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726115032/http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/07/patricks_reversal_of_cuts_brings_joy/ |archive-date=July 26, 2008}} and also declared that the state faced a "looming budget shortfall" of $1 billion for fiscal 2008.{{cite news |url=http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO39099/ |title=Patrick says state has $1 billion deficit |agency=Associated Press |publisher=WHDH |date=January 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070107032133/http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO39099/ |archive-date=January 7, 2007}} Patrick consequently proposed a budget for fiscal 2008 that included $515 million in spending cuts and $295 million in new corporate taxes.{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/02/28/patrick_says_budget_without_gimmicks/ |title=Patrick says budget 'without gimmicks' |first1=Frank |last1=Phillips |first2=Andrea |last2=Estes |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=February 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070305093832/http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/02/28/patrick_says_budget_without_gimmicks/?page=full |archive-date=March 5, 2007}} As it happened, the state ended fiscal 2007 with a $307.1 million deficit and fiscal 2008 with a $495.2 million deficit.|group="nb"}}

File:Romney portrait.jpg portrait by Richard Whitney]]

Romney supported raising various fees, including those for drivers' licenses and gun licenses, to raise more than $300 million. He increased a special gasoline retailer fee by {{convert|0.02|$/USgal}}, generating about $60 million per year in additional revenue. Opponents said the reliance on fees sometimes imposed a hardship on those who could least afford them. Romney also closed tax loopholes that brought in another $181 million from businesses over the next two years and over $300 million for his term.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/us/politics/romneys-strategies-as-governor-bucked-his-ceo-image.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003002338/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/us/politics/romneys-strategies-as-governor-bucked-his-ceo-image.html |archive-date=October 3, 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |last=Barbaro |first=Michael |title=Seeking Taxes, Romney Went After Business |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 1, 2011}} He did so in the face of conservative and corporate critics who viewed these actions as tax increases.{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/business/taxes/articles/2005/01/31/romney_businesses_wrangle_on_loopholes/ |title=Romney, Businesses Wrangle on 'Loopholes' |first=Scott S. |last=Greenberger |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=January 31, 2005 |page=A1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060223174513/http://www.boston.com/business/taxes/articles/2005/01/31/romney_businesses_wrangle_on_loopholes/ |archive-date=February 23, 2006}}

The state legislature, with the governor's support, cut spending by $1.6 billion, including $700 million in reductions in state aid to cities and towns.{{Cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/12/18/property_taxes_still_on_rise_in_mass/ |url-status=live |title=Property taxes still on rise in Mass |author=Viser, Matt |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=December 18, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103135947/http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/12/18/property_taxes_still_on_rise_in_mass/?page=full |archive-date=January 3, 2009}} The cuts also included a $140 million reduction in state funding for higher education, which led state-run colleges and universities to increase fees by 63% over four years. Romney sought additional cuts in his last year as governor by vetoing nearly 250 items in the state budget; the legislature overrode all the vetoes.{{Cite news |title=Romney's vetoes seldom stood |author=Barrick, Daniel |newspaper=Concord Monitor |date=May 3, 2007 |url=http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/romneys-vetoes-seldom-stood |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027012435/http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/romneys-vetoes-seldom-stood |archive-date=October 27, 2012}}

The cuts in state spending put added pressure on localities to reduce services or raise property taxes, and the share of town and city revenues coming from property taxes rose from 49% to 53%. The combined state and local tax burden in Massachusetts increased during Romney's governorship.{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/29/taking_office_remaining_an_outsider/ |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Part 6: Taking office, remaining an outsider |last=Mooney |first=Brian |date=June 29, 2007 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112081226/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part6_main/ |archive-date=January 12, 2010 |url-status=live}} Also [https://web.archive.org/web/20130502161440/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8712468.html available in HighBeam]. Also available as [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/680196789/Romney-took-on-outsider-role-at-helm-of-Bay-State.html "Romney took on 'outsider' role at helm of Bay State"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202035700/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/680196789/Romney-took-on-outsider-role-at-helm-of-Bay-State.html |date=February 2, 2011 }}, Deseret Morning News, July 6, 2007. He did propose a reduction in the state income tax rate, but the legislature rejected it.{{cite news |last=Sahadi |first=Jeanne |url=https://money.cnn.com/2012/01/23/news/economy/Romney_tax_record/ |title=Is Romney a tax cutter? |publisher=CNN |date=January 23, 2012 |access-date=August 3, 2020 |archive-date=December 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202132528/https://money.cnn.com/2012/01/23/news/economy/Romney_tax_record/ |url-status=live}}

Romney sought to bring near-universal health insurance coverage to the state. This came after Staples founder Tom Stemberg told him at the start of his term that doing so would be the best way he could help people. Another factor was that the federal government, owing to the rules of Medicaid funding, threatened to cut $385 million in those payments to Massachusetts if the state did not reduce the number of uninsured recipients of health care services. Although the idea of universal health insurance had not come to the fore during the campaign, Romney decided that because people without insurance still received expensive health care, the money spent by the state for such care could be better used to subsidize insurance for the poor.{{cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/lifestyle/health/articles/2011/05/30/romney_and_health_care_in_the_thick_of_history/ |url-status=live |title=Romney and health care: In the thick of history |author=Mooney, Brian C. |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=May 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407080254/http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/articles/2011/05/30/romney_and_health_care_in_the_thick_of_history/?page=full |archive-date=April 7, 2014}}

File:US Navy 050520-N-4549D-002 USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) Commanding Officer, Capt. Dennis E. Fitzpatrick, gives the Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney a tour of the conventionally powered aircraft carrier's flight deck.jpg on May 20, 2005, as part of celebrating Armed Forces Day]]

Determined that a new Massachusetts health insurance measure not raise taxes or resemble the previous decade's failed "Hillarycare" proposal at the federal level, Romney formed a team of consultants from diverse political backgrounds to apply those principles. Beginning in late 2004, they devised a set of proposals that were more ambitious than an incremental one from the Massachusetts Senate and more acceptable to him than one from the Massachusetts House of Representatives that incorporated a new payroll tax. In particular, Romney pushed for incorporating an individual mandate at the state level.{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1619212,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070512215003/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1619212,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 12, 2007 |title=What Romney Believes |author=Tumulty, Karen |magazine=Time |date=May 10, 2007 |author-link=Karen Tumulty}} Past rival Ted Kennedy, who had made universal health coverage his life's work and who, over time, had developed a warm relationship with Romney,Canellos, The Last Lion, p. 300. gave the plan a positive reception, which encouraged Democratic legislators to cooperate. The effort eventually gained the support of all major stakeholders within the state, and Romney helped break a logjam between rival Democratic leaders in the legislature.

On April 12, 2006, Romney signed the resulting Massachusetts health reform law, commonly called "Romneycare", which requires nearly all Massachusetts residents to buy health insurance coverage or face escalating tax penalties, such as the loss of their personal income tax exemption.{{cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/04/13/joy_worries_on_healthcare/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060421094214/http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/04/13/joy_worries_on_healthcare/?page=full |archive-date=April 21, 2006 |title=Mass. governor signs health bill, with vetoes |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=April 13, 2006 |author1=Helman, Scott |author2=Kowalczyk, Liz |name-list-style=amp}} The bill also established means-tested state subsidies for people who lacked adequate employer insurance and whose income was below a threshold, using funds that had covered the health costs of the uninsured.{{Cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/prem/200606u/nj_crook_2006-06-27 |title=The Massachusetts Experiment |last=Crook |first=Clive |date=June 2006 |magazine=The Atlantic |access-date=November 21, 2006 |archive-date=October 11, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011121837/http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/prem/200606u/nj_crook_2006-06-27 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |author=Dembner, Alice |url=https://boston.com/yourlife/health/other/articles/2007/01/20/sticker_shock_for_state_care_plan/ |title=Sticker shock for state care plan |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=January 20, 2007 |access-date=April 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427160515/http://boston.com/yourlife/health/other/articles/2007/01/20/sticker_shock_for_state_care_plan/ |archive-date=April 27, 2014 |url-status=dead}} He vetoed eight sections of the health care legislation, including a controversial $295-per-employee assessment on businesses that do not offer health insurance and provisions guaranteeing dental benefits to Medicaid recipients. The legislature overrode all eight vetoes, but the governor's office said the differences were not essential.{{cite news |url=http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2006/04/26/67613.htm |title=Mass. House Overrides Gov. Romney Veto of Health Care Fee |author=LeBlanc, Steve |agency=Associated Press |magazine=Insurance Journal |date=April 26, 2006 |access-date=December 4, 2010 |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519225254/http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2006/04/26/67613.htm |url-status=live}} The law was the first of its kind in the nation and became the signature achievement of Romney's term in office.{{Cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part7_main/ |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Part 7: Ambitious goals; shifting stances |author=Mooney, Brian C. |author2=Ebbert, Stephanie |author3=Helman, Scott |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=June 30, 2007 |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003315/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part7_main/ |url-status=live}} Also [https://web.archive.org/web/20130502160824/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8706866.html available in HighBeam].{{refn|group=nb|Upon passage of the law, Romney said "There really wasn't Republican or Democrat in this. People ask me if this is conservative or liberal, and my answer is yes. It's liberal in the sense that we're getting our citizens health insurance. It's conservative in that we're not getting a government takeover."{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/06/us/06health.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060411163445/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/06/us/06health.html |archive-date=April 11, 2006 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=On Health Care, Massachusetts Leaders Invoke Action, Not Talk |author=Belluck, Pam |newspaper=The New York Times |date=April 25, 2010}} Within four years, the Massachusetts law had achieved its primary goal of expanding coverage: in 2010, 98% of state residents had coverage, compared to a national average of 83%. Among children and seniors the 2010 coverage rate was even higher, 99.8% and 99.6% respectively. Approximately two-thirds of residents received coverage through employers; one-sixth each received it through Medicare or public plans.{{cite news |url=http://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20101214/BENEFITS03/101219966 |title=Massachusetts' insured rate hits 98.1%: Analysis |author=Geisel, Jerry |magazine=Business Insurance |date=December 14, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213210806/http://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20101214/BENEFITS03/101219966 |archive-date=February 13, 2011}}}}

File:Mitt Romney's official gubernatorial portrait.jpg

At the beginning of his governorship, Romney opposed same-sex marriage and civil unions but advocated tolerance and supported some domestic partnership benefits.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OPEeAAAAIBAJ&pg=6776,1388597 |title=Massachusetts ballot initiative could halt same-sex marriages |author=Mehren, Elizabeth |work=Los Angeles Times |via=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |date=June 17, 2005 |page=4A |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222232954/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OPEeAAAAIBAJ&pg=6776%2C1388597 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Mitt Romney on the Issues |publisher=Romney for Governor 2002 |access-date=December 11, 2006 |url=http://www.romneyhealey.com/issues/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20021218005104/http://www.romneyhealey.com/issues/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=December 18, 2002}} A November 2003 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision, Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, required the state to recognize same-sex marriages. Romney reluctantly backed a state constitutional amendment in February 2004 that would have banned those marriages but still allowed civil unions, viewing it as the only feasible way to comply with the court's ruling.{{Cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/02/23/romneys_stance_on_civil_unions_draws_fire/ |title=Romney's stance on civil unions draws fire |last=Phillips |first=Frank |date=February 23, 2005 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090406222646/http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/02/23/romneys_stance_on_civil_unions_draws_fire/ |archive-date=April 6, 2009}} In May 2004 and per the court decision, he 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, he said no marriage licenses were to be issued to people not planning to move to Massachusetts.{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/05/19/romney_eyes_order_on_licenses/ |title=Romney Eyes Order on Licenses; Seeks to Halt Marriage of Gay Outsiders |first1=Yvonne |last1=Abraham |first2=Frank |last2=Phillips |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=May 19, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725233440/http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/05/19/romney_eyes_order_on_licenses/ |archive-date=July 25, 2008}} In June 2005, Romney abandoned his support for the compromise amendment, stating that it confused voters who opposed both same-sex marriage and civil unions. Instead, he endorsed a ballot initiative led by the Coalition for Marriage and Family (an alliance of socially conservative organizations) that would have banned same-sex marriage and made no provisions for civil unions. In 2004 and 2006, he urged the U.S. Senate to vote for the Federal Marriage Amendment.{{cite speech |title=Testimony of Honorable Mitt Romney, Governor, Massachusetts |first=Mitt |last=Romney |event=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary |date=June 22, 2004 |url=http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=4f1e0899533f7680e78d03281ffb4522&wit_id=4f1e0899533f7680e78d03281ffb4522-1-1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913091038/http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=4f1e0899533f7680e78d03281ffb4522&wit_id=4f1e0899533f7680e78d03281ffb4522-1-1 |archive-date=September 13, 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/06/the_importance_of_protecting_m.html |title=The Importance of Protecting Marriage |last=Romney |first=Mitt |date=June 2, 2006 |access-date=October 26, 2012 |archive-date=February 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212054805/http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/06/the_importance_of_protecting_m.html |url-status=live}}

In 2005, Romney revealed a change of view regarding abortion, moving from the abortion rights positions expressed during his 1994 and 2002 campaigns to an anti-abortion one in opposition to Roe v. Wade. He attributed his conversion to an interaction with Harvard University biologist Douglas Melton, an expert on embryonic stem cell biology, although Melton vehemently disputed Romney's recollection of their conversation.{{cite news |magazine=The New York Times Magazine |first=Robert |last=Draper |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/07/magazine/mitt-romney.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309061257/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/07/magazine/mitt-romney.html |archive-date=March 9, 2021 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |date=October 2, 2012 |title=The Mitt Romney Who Might Have Been}} Romney subsequently vetoed a bill on pro-life grounds that expanded access to emergency contraception in hospitals and pharmacies; the legislature overrode the veto.{{cite news |newspaper=The Boston Globe |last=Greenberger |first=Scott S. |date=September 16, 2005 |title=Lawmakers override governor's contraception veto: Move will ease morning-after pill's availability |url=https://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/women/articles/2005/09/16/lawmakers_override_governors_contraception_veto/ |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304221551/http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/women/articles/2005/09/16/lawmakers_override_governors_contraception_veto/ |url-status=live}} He also amended his position on embryonic stem cell research.

File:Mitt and Ann Romney.jpg, 2005]]

Romney used a bully pulpit approach towards promoting his agenda, staging well-organized media events to appeal directly to the public rather than pushing his proposals in behind-doors sessions with the state legislature. He dealt with a public crisis of confidence in Boston's Big Dig project after a fatal ceiling collapse in 2006 by wresting control of the project from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. After two years of negotiating the state's participation in the landmark Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative that instituted a cap-and-trade arrangement for power plant emissions in the Northeast, Romney pulled Massachusetts out of the initiative shortly before its signing in December 2005, citing a lack of cost limits for industry.{{cite news |last=Greenberger |first=Scott S. |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/12/21/7_states_sign_emissions_pact/ |title=7 states sign emissions pact |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=December 21, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051228085120/http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/12/21/7_states_sign_emissions_pact/ |archive-date=December 28, 2005}}

In 2004, Romney spent considerable effort trying to bolster the state Republican Party, but it failed to gain any seats in the legislative elections that year.Barone and Cohen, The Almanac of American Politics 2006, p. 809. Given a prime-time appearance at the 2004 Republican National Convention, he began to be discussed as a potential 2008 presidential candidate.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/5831818 |title=Is Romney ready for the big time?: Mass. Gov. gets plum prime-time speaking spot during convention |author=Bradley, Nina |work=NBC News |date=August 29, 2004 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=March 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304172539/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/5831818 |url-status=dead}} Midway through his term, Romney decided that he wanted to stage a full-time run for president,Balz and Johnson, The Battle for America 2008, p. 238. and on December 14, 2005, he announced that he would not seek reelection as governor.{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aaFxZpr2FrSk&refer=us |title=Romney Says He Won't Seek Second Term as Governor |first=Heidi |last=Przybyla |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=December 14, 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151021234934/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aaFxZpr2FrSk&refer=us |archive-date=October 21, 2015}} As chair of the Republican Governors Association, Romney traveled around the country, meeting prominent Republicans and building a national political network; he spent more than 200 days out of state in 2006, preparing for his run.{{Cite news |url=http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=nightlife&sc=&sc2=photoalbum&id=30744 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=EdgeBoston.com |date=December 26, 2006 |title=Romney out of state 212 days so far in 2006 |access-date=March 20, 2010 |archive-date=October 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151021234404/http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=nightlife&sc=&sc2=photoalbum&id=30744 |url-status=dead}}

Romney had a 61 percent job approval rating after his initial fiscal actions in 2003, but it subsequently declined,{{cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Edward |last2=Mashberg |first2=Tom |title=Mitt has Always Plummeted in the Polls |magazine=Salon.com |date=December 9, 2011 |url=http://www.salon.com/2011/12/09/mitt_has_always_plummeted_in_the_polls/ |access-date=May 26, 2012 |archive-date=May 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526080016/http://www.salon.com/2011/12/09/mitt_has_always_plummeted_in_the_polls/ |url-status=live}} driven in part by his frequent out-of-state travel.Barone and Cohen, Almanac of American Politics 2008, p. 790. It stood at 34 percent in November 2006, ranking 48th of the 50 U.S. governors.{{cite web |title=Approval Ratings for All 50 Governors as of 11/20/06 |url=http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2006/Approval50StateGovernor061120.htm |access-date=May 25, 2012 |publisher=SurveyUSA |archive-date=May 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120521162108/http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2006/Approval50StateGovernor061120.htm |url-status=live}} In the 2006 Massachusetts gubernatorial election, Democratic nominee Deval Patrick beat Romney's lieutenant governor, Kerry Healey, by 20 points, with the win partially due to dissatisfaction with Romney's administration and the weak condition of the state Republican party.{{cite news |last=Phillips |first=Frank |title=Patrick has a Big Lead in New Poll |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/local/politics/candidates/articles/2006/09/30/patrick_has_a_big_lead_in_new_poll/ |url-status=live |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=September 30, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061115110810/http://www.boston.com/news/local/politics/candidates/articles/2006/09/30/patrick_has_a_big_lead_in_new_poll/ |archive-date=November 15, 2006}}

Romney filed to register a presidential campaign committee with the Federal Election Commission on his penultimate day in office as governor. His term ended on January 4, 2007.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/04/us/politics/04romney.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012152957/http://nytimes.com/2007/01/04/us/politics/04romney.html |archive-date=October 12, 2007 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Romney Takes Step Toward an '08 Run |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 4, 2007}}

{{Main|Mitt Romney 2008 presidential campaign}}

{{See also|2008 Republican Party presidential primaries}}

Romney formally announced his candidacy for the 2008 Republican nomination for president on February 13, 2007, in Dearborn, Michigan.{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/02/14/on_big_day_mass_gets_little_note/ |title=On big day, Mass. gets little note |author=Helman, Scott |author2=Ryan, Andrew |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=February 14, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070325234431/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/02/14/on_big_day_mass_gets_little_note/ |archive-date=March 25, 2007}} Again casting himself as a political outsider,Balz and Johnson, The Battle for America 2008, p. 239. his speech frequently invoked his father and his family, and stressed experiences in the private, public, and voluntary sectors that had brought him to this point.{{Cite news |url=https://www.deseret.com/2007/2/13/20001820/romney-officially-enters-presidential-race |title=Romney officially enters presidential race |last=Struglinski |first=Suzanne |newspaper=Deseret News Morning News |location=Salt Lake City |date=February 13, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402072141/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1%2C5143%2C660195186%2C00.html |archive-date=April 2, 2015}}

File:Mitt Romney visits Ames cropped.jpg, Iowa, in May 2007]]

The campaign emphasized Romney's highly profitable career in the business world and his stewardship of the 2002 Olympics.{{#tag:ref|American political opinion periodically looked towards industry for business managers who it was thought could straighten out what was held to be wrong in the nation's capital. The track record of such efforts was at best mixed, with Lee Iacocca declining to run, Romney's father George and Steve Forbes failing to get far in the primaries, and Ross Perot staging one of the more successful third-party runs in American history.{{Cite book |first1=Barry |last1=Libert |author-link=Barry Libert |title=Barack, Inc.: Winning Business Lessons of the Obama Campaign |first2=Rick |last2=Faulk |publisher=FT Press |location=Upper Saddle River, New Jersey |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-13-702207-6 |page=7}}{{cite news |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2012/0222/Does-America-need-a-CEO-in-the-Oval-Office |title=Does America need a CEO in the Oval Office? |first=Alan M. |last=Webber |newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor |date=February 22, 2012 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207133652/https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2012/0222/Does-America-need-a-CEO-in-the-Oval-Office |url-status=live}}|group="nb"}} He also had political experience as a governor, together with a political pedigree courtesy of his father (as well as many biographical parallels with him).{{#tag:ref|Biographical parallels between George and Mitt Romney include: Both served as Mormon missionaries in Europe and considered the experiences formative. Both pursued high school sweethearts single-mindedly until the women agreed to marry them several years later, then had families with four or five children. Both had very successful careers in business and became known for turning around failing companies or organizations. Both presided over a stake in the LDS Church. Both achieved their first elected position at age 55, as Republican governor of a Democratic-leaning state. The two bear a close physical resemblance at similar ages and both have been said to "look like a president". Both staged their first presidential run in the year they turned 60. Both were considered suspect by ideological conservatives within the Republican Party.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2008/01/romney-plays-nostalgia-card-in-michigan-007848 |title=Romney plays nostalgia card in Michigan |last=Glass |first=Andrew |newspaper=Politico |date=January 13, 2008 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207133653/https://www.politico.com/story/2008/01/romney-plays-nostalgia-card-in-michigan-007848 |url-status=live}} Neither protested publicly against the LDS Church policy that did not allow black people in its lay clergy, although the elder Romney hoped the church leadership would revise the policy,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OegmAAAAIBAJ&pg=717,1492483 |title=Romney Insists His Mormon Faith Won't Mar His Liberal Stand |first=Louis |last=Cassels |agency=United Press International |newspaper=Baltimore Afro-American |date=March 11, 1967 |page=4 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224170417/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OegmAAAAIBAJ&pg=717,1492483 |url-status=live}} and his son has said that he was greatly relieved when the church did so in 1978.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna22273924 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title='Meet the Press' transcript for Dec. 16, 2007 |work=Meet the Press |publisher=NBC News |date=December 16, 2007 |archive-date=December 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229022519/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22273924/ |url-status=live}} There are also obvious differences in their paths, including that George had a hardscrabble upbringing while Mitt's was affluent, and that Mitt far exceeded George's accomplishments in formal education. Another is that Mitt's personality is more reserved, private, and controlled than his father's was, traits he got from his mother Lenore,{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/24/us/politics/political-lessons-from-a-mothers-losing-run.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224085100/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/24/us/politics/political-lessons-from-a-mothers-losing-run.html |archive-date=February 24, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Political Lessons, From a Mother's Losing Run |first=Sheryl Gay |last=Stolberg |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 23, 2012 |page=1}} and his political personality is also shaped at least as much by Lenore as by George. And while George was willing to defy political trends, Mitt has been much more willing to adapt to them.|group="nb"}} Ann Romney, who had become an advocate for those with multiple sclerosis,{{Cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/09/13/ann_romney_tackles_multiple_sclerosis_head_on/ |title=Ann Romney tackles multiple sclerosis head-on |author=Melanson, Mike |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=September 13, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030919050413/http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/09/13/ann_romney_tackles_multiple_sclerosis_head_on/ |archive-date=September 19, 2003}} was in remission and was an active participant in his campaign,{{Cite news |author=Fiore, Fay |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-24-na-perfect24-story.html |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title=Working to break his own storybook spell |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=November 24, 2007 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207133655/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-24-na-perfect24-story.html |url-status=live}} helping to soften his political personality. Media stories called the {{convert|6|ft|2|in|m|adj=on}} Romney handsome;{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Health/caveman-politics-point-mitt-romney-presidential-winner-study/story?id=14755562 |title=Caveman Politics: Americans Like Their Presidents Tall |first=Susan Donaldson |last=James |work=ABC News |date=October 18, 2011 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083408/https://abcnews.go.com/Health/caveman-politics-point-mitt-romney-presidential-winner-study/story?id=14755562 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2007/02/25/governor-romney-meet-governor-romney.html |title=Governor Romney, Meet Governor Romney |first1=Jonathan |last1=Darman |first2=Evan |last2=Thomas |author-link2=Evan Thomas |magazine=Newsweek |date=February 25, 2007 |access-date=February 24, 2013 |archive-date=March 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130309183406/http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2007/02/25/governor-romney-meet-governor-romney.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna17152644 |title='Hardball with Chris Matthews' for Feb. 13 |work=Hardball with Chris Matthews |publisher=NBC News |date=February 14, 2007}}{{Cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/30/obama-on-language/ |title=Obama on Language |first=Mark |last=Leibovich |date=December 30, 2007 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083808/https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/30/obama-on-language/ |url-status=live}} a number of commentators noted that with his square jaw and ample hair graying at the temples, he matched a common image of what a president should look like.{{Cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9441455 |title=Mr Smooth of Massachusetts |magazine=The Economist |date=July 5, 2007 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |archive-date=June 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610201456/http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9441455 |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2007/02/is-romney-too-good-to-be-true-002737 |title=Is Romney Too Good To Be True? |last=Simon |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Simon (journalist) |newspaper=Politico |date=February 13, 2007 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083515/https://www.politico.com/story/2007/02/is-romney-too-good-to-be-true-002737 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0701/03/gb.01.html |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title=Transcript: Glenn Beck, January 3, 2007: "Are We Ready for Another Attack?; 2008 Elections Gearing Up" |work=Glenn Beck Program |publisher=CNN Headline News |date=January 3, 2007 |archive-date=August 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804232145/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0701/03/gb.01.html |url-status=live}}

Romney's liabilities included having run for senator and serving as governor in one of the nation's most liberal states and having taken positions in opposition to the party's conservative base during that time. Late during his term as governor, he had shifted positions and emphases to better align with traditional conservatives on social issues. Skeptics, including some Republicans, charged Romney with opportunism and a lack of core principles. As a Mormon, he faced suspicion and skepticism by some in the Evangelical wing of the party.Heilemann and Halperin, Game Change, pp. 294–295.

For his campaign, Romney assembled a veteran group of Republican staffers, consultants, and pollsters.Heilemann and Halperin, Game Change, pp. 293–294.Balz and Johnson, The Battle for America 2008, pp. 251–252. But he was little-known nationally, and hovered around 10% support in Republican preference polls for the first half of 2007. He proved the most effective fundraiser of any of the Republican candidates and also partly financed his campaign with his own personal fortune.Balz and Johnson, The Battle for America 2008, p. 247. These resources, combined with the mid-year near-collapse of nominal front-runner John McCain's campaign, made Romney a threat to win the nomination and the focus of the other candidates' attacks.Balz and Johnson, The Battle for America 2008, pp. 261–263. Romney's staff suffered from internal strife; Romney himself was at times indecisive, often asking for more data before making a decision.Balz and Johnson, The Battle for America 2008, p. 276.

During all his political campaigns, Romney has avoided speaking publicly about Mormon doctrines, referring to the U.S. Constitution's prohibition of religious tests for public office.{{Cite news |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1207/p01s03-uspo.html |title=Romney moves to allay Mormon concerns directly |last=Feldmann |first=Linda |newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor |date=December 11, 2007 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207133653/https://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1207/p01s03-uspo.html |url-status=live}} But persistent questions about the role of religion in his life, as well as Southern Baptist minister and former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee's rise in the polls based on an explicitly Christian-themed campaign, led to Romney's December 6, 2007, "Faith in America" speech. In it, Romney declared, "I believe in my Mormon faith and endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers. I will be true to them and to my beliefs." He added that he should be neither elected nor rejected because of his religion,{{Cite news |url=http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/06/499942.aspx |title=On the Ground at Romney Speech |author=McPike, Erin |publisher=MSNBC |date=December 6, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071208015944/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/06/499942.aspx |archive-date=December 8, 2007}} and echoed Senator John F. Kennedy's famous speech during his 1960 presidential campaign in saying, "I will put no doctrine of any church above the plain duties of the office and the sovereign authority of the law."{{Cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/mitt-romney-pledges-to-serve-no-one-religion-in-faith-speech |title=Mitt Romney Pledges to Serve No One Religion in Faith Speech |publisher=Fox News |date=December 6, 2007 |access-date=April 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204103902/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315486,00.html |archive-date=February 4, 2011 |url-status=live}} Instead of discussing the specific tenets of his faith, he said he would be informed by it, saying: "Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone." Academics later studied the role religion played in the campaign.{{#tag:ref|Regarding the role of Romney's religion in the 2008 campaign, one academic study, based upon research conducted throughout the 2008 primaries, showed that a negative perception of Mormonism was widespread during the election, and that perception was often resistant to factual information that would correct mistaken notions about the religion or Romney's relationship to it.{{cite conference |author=Campbell, David |author2=Green, John Green |author3=Monson, J. Quin |year=2009 |title=Framing Faith: How Voters Responded to Candidates' Religions in the 2008 Presidential Campaign |conference=Annual meeting of the American Political Science Association |location=Toronto |url=http://americandemocracy.nd.edu/assets/16823/campbellmonsongreen_apsa2009_final.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611060049/http://americandemocracy.nd.edu/assets/16823/campbellmonsongreen_apsa2009_final.pdf |archive-date=June 11, 2010}} The authors concluded that, "For Romney ... religion is the central story." Another study, analyzing a survey conducted during January 2008 (when an African American, a woman, and a Mormon all had realistic chances of becoming the first president from that group), found that voters had internally accepted the notion of black equality, paving the way for Barack Obama's election; had partially established but not fully internalized the notion of gender equality, making Hillary Clinton's task somewhat more difficult; but had only selectively internalized the notion of religious equality, and in particular not extended it to Mormons, thus making Romney's run significantly more difficult.{{cite conference |author=Monson, J. Quin |author2=Riding, Scott |year=2009 |title=Social Equality Norms for Race, Gender and Religion in the American Public During the 2008 Presidential Primaries |conference=The Transformative Election of 2008 |location=Mershon Center for International Security Studies, Ohio State University |url=http://polisci.osu.edu/conferences/2008election/papers/Monson.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720024339/http://polisci.osu.edu/conferences/2008election/papers/Monson.pdf |archive-date=July 20, 2011}} Those authors concluded that, "for a Mormon candidate, the road to the presidency remains very rough ... The bias against a Mormon candidate is substantial." |group="nb"}}

File:Romrally.png, September 2007]]

The campaign's strategy called for winning the initial two contests – the January 3, 2008, Iowa Republican caucuses and the January 8 New Hampshire primary – to propel Romney nationally.Balz and Johnson, The Battle for America 2008, p. 251. But he took second place in both, losing Iowa to Huckabee, who received more than twice the evangelical Christian votes,Balz and Johnson, The Battle for America 2008, pp. 280–281.{{Cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/03/iowa.caucuses/index.html |first1=Mark |last1=Preston |first2=Peter |last2=Hamby |first3=Dana |last3=Bash |first4=Candy |last4=Crowley |title=Huckabee, Obama have huge night in Iowa |publisher=CNN |date=January 4, 2008 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083358/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/03/iowa.caucuses/index.html |url-status=live}} and New Hampshire to the resurgent McCain. Huckabee and McCain criticized Romney's image as a flip-flopper and this label stuck to Romney through the campaign (one that Romney rejected as unfair and inaccurate, except for his acknowledged change of mind on abortion).{{cite news |url=https://www.gq.com/story/almost-human |title=Almost Human |author=Draper, Robert |magazine=GQ |date=February 1, 2008 |author-link=Robert Draper |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207133655/https://www.gq.com/story/almost-human |url-status=live}} Romney seemed to approach the campaign as a management consulting exercise, and showed a lack of personal warmth and political feel; journalist Evan Thomas wrote that Romney "came off as a phony, even when he was perfectly sincere".Thomas, "A Long Time Coming", p. 45. The fervor with which Romney adopted his new stances and attitudes contributed to the perception of inauthenticity that hampered the campaign. His staff concluded that competing as a candidate of social conservatism and ideological purity rather than of pragmatic competence had been a mistake.

McCain's win in South Carolina and Romney's in his childhood home Michigan set up a pivotal battle in the January 29 Florida primary.Balz and Johnson, The Battle for America 2008, pp. 283–285.Heilemann and Halperin, Game Change, pp. 312–313. Romney campaigned intensively on economic issues and the burgeoning subprime mortgage crisis, while McCain attacked Romney on Iraq policy and benefited from endorsements from Florida officeholders. McCain won by five points. Although many Republican officials were now lining up behind McCain, Romney persisted through the nationwide Super Tuesday contests on February 5. There he won primaries or caucuses in several states, but McCain won in more and in larger-population ones.{{Cite news |title=Romney suspends presidential campaign |publisher=CNN |date=February 7, 2008 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/07/romney.campaign/index.html |access-date=February 7, 2008 |archive-date=September 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210902191057/http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/07/romney.campaign/index.html |url-status=live}} Trailing McCain in delegates by a more than two-to-one margin, Romney announced the end of his campaign on February 7.

Altogether, Romney had won 11 primaries and caucuses,{{Cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/scorecard/#R |title=Election Center 2008: Delegate Scorecard |publisher=CNN |access-date=April 11, 2010 |archive-date=June 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604022436/http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/scorecard/#R |url-status=live}} receiving about 4.7 million votes{{cite web |url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/republican_vote_count.html |title=2008 Republican Popular Vote |publisher=RealClearPolitics |access-date=April 13, 2010 |archive-date=June 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617010429/http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/republican_vote_count.html |url-status=live}} and garnering about 280 delegates. He spent $110 million during the campaign, including $45 million of his own money.{{Cite news |author=Kranish, Michael |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/07/17/romney_not_getting_his_45m_back/ |title=Romney not getting his $45m back: Says he won't seek gifts to repay campaign loans |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=July 17, 2008 |author-link=Michael Kranish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103161144/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/07/17/romney_not_getting_his_45m_back/?page=1 |archive-date=January 3, 2009}}

Romney endorsed McCain for president a week later,

{{cite news |url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MCCAIN_ROMNEY?SITE=CONGRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT |title=Ex-GOP candidate Romney endorses McCain |last=Sidoti |first=Liz |agency=Associated Press |date=February 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215084205/http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MCCAIN_ROMNEY?SITE=CONGRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT |archive-date=February 15, 2008}} and McCain had Romney on a short list for running mate, where his business experience would have balanced one of McCain's weaknesses.Balz and Johnson, The Battle for America 2008, pp. 328, 331. Behind in the polls, McCain opted instead for a high-risk, high-reward "game changer", Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.Balz and Johnson, The Battle for America 2008, pp. 334–335. McCain lost the election to Democratic senator Barack Obama.

Romney supported the Bush administration's Troubled Asset Relief Program in response to the 2008 financial crisis, later saying that it prevented the U.S. financial system from collapsing.{{cite news |last=Memoli |first=Michael A. |title=Romney: It was Bush, not Obama, who averted second Depression |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-mar-21-la-pn-romney-bush-tarp-defense-20120321-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=March 21, 2012 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207135814/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-mar-21-la-pn-romney-bush-tarp-defense-20120321-story.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Mitt Romney changes position on TARP, DNC says |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2011/nov/30/democratic-national-committee/mitt-romney-changes-position-tarp-dnc/ |first=Molly |last=Moorhead |access-date=February 7, 2020 |publisher=PolitiFact.com |date=November 28, 2011 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207135812/https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2011/nov/30/democratic-national-committee/mitt-romney-changes-position-tarp-dnc/ |url-status=live}} During the U.S. automotive industry crisis of 2008–2010, he opposed a bailout of the industry in the form of direct government intervention, and argued that a managed bankruptcy of struggling automobile companies should instead be accompanied by federal guarantees for post-bankruptcy financing from the private sector.{{cite news |first=Mitt |last=Romney |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/opinion/19romney.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207054757/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/opinion/19romney.html |archive-date=December 7, 2008 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Let Detroit Go Bankrupt |work=The New York Times |date=November 18, 2008}} Note that the title of this op-ed was written by the newspaper; Romney originally submitted it as "The Way Forward for the Auto Industry". See May 8, 2012, New York Times Ashley Parker blog entry [http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/having-opposed-auto-bailout-romney-now-takes-credit-for-rebound/ "Having Opposed Auto Bailout, Romney Now Takes Credit for Rebound"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902082153/http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/having-opposed-auto-bailout-romney-now-takes-credit-for-rebound/ |date=September 2, 2012 }}.

After the 2008 election, Romney laid the groundwork for a 2012 presidential campaign by using his Free and Strong America political action committee (PAC) to raise money for other Republican candidates and pay his existing political staff's salaries and consulting fees.{{Cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/12/08/romney_paves_way_for_possible_12_run/ |title=Romney paves way for possible '12 run |author=Phillips, Frank |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=December 8, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212001549/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/12/08/romney_paves_way_for_possible_12_run/?page=full |archive-date=December 12, 2008}}{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/corbin-hiar/money-for-love-romney-cam_b_1321624.html |title=Money for Love? Romney Campaign Gives Over $1.7 Million to Republicans |first=Corbin |last=Hiar |agency=Center for Public Integrity |work=HuffPost |date=March 5, 2012 |access-date=February 18, 2020 |archive-date=October 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022113235/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/corbin-hiar/money-for-love-romney-cam_b_1321624.html |url-status=live}} A network of former staff and supporters around the nation were eager for him to run again.{{Cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2009/06/mitt-romneys-team-awaits-2012-024316 |title=Mitt Romney's team awaits 2012 |last=Martin |first=Jonathan |newspaper=Politico |date=June 29, 2009 |access-date=June 29, 2009 |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923172417/http://www.politico.com/story/2009/06/mitt-romneys-team-awaits-2012-024316 |url-status=live}} He continued to give speeches and raise funds for Republicans,{{Cite news |url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/06/02/meet-the-new-mitt-romney-same-as-the-old-mitt/ |title=Mitt's Makeover: Channeling Reagan for 2012 Run |last=Cannon |first=Carl M. |author-link=Carl M. Cannon |work=Politics Daily |date=June 2, 2009 |access-date=July 2, 2009 |archive-date=June 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605183914/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/06/02/meet-the-new-mitt-romney-same-as-the-old-mitt/ |url-status=dead}} but fearing overexposure, turned down many potential media appearances. He also spoke before business, educational, and motivational groups.{{cite news |title=Romney's Assets Top $190 Million |author=Confessore, Nicholas |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113083649/https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/12/romneys-assets-top-190-million/ |author-link=Nicholas Confessore |url=https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/12/romneys-assets-top-190-million/ |archive-date=January 13, 2020}} From 2009 to 2011, he served on the board of directors of Marriott International, founded by his namesake J. Willard Marriott.{{Cite news |url=https://www.deseret.com/2011/1/13/20166918/mitt-romney-stepping-down-from-marriott-board-again |title=Mitt Romney stepping down from Marriott board, again |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City |date=January 13, 2011 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207135811/https://www.deseret.com/2011/1/13/20166918/mitt-romney-stepping-down-from-marriott-board-again |url-status=live}} He had previously served on it from 1993 to 2002.{{#tag:ref|During most of Romney's first stint on the Marriott board, he was a member of, and for six years chair of, the board's audit committee.{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-22/romney-as-auditing-chairman-saw-marriott-son-of-boss-tax-shelter-defy-irs.html |title=Romney as Audit Chair Saw Marriott Son of BOSS Shelter Defy IRS |first=Jesse |last=Drucker |publisher=Bloomberg |date=February 23, 2012 |access-date=March 10, 2017 |archive-date=January 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150125055411/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-22/romney-as-auditing-chairman-saw-marriott-son-of-boss-tax-shelter-defy-irs.html |url-status=live}} In 1994, during Romney's time as chair, Marriott implemented the Son of BOSS tax shelter, which resulted in the company claiming $71 million in losses. In 2008 and 2009, federal courts ruled this use of the shelter illegal and said those losses never existed. PolitiFact.com calls a 2012 claim that Romney personally approved the shelter as "Half True".{{cite news |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2012/aug/13/barack-obama/obama-links-romney-infamous-tax-shelter/ |first=Jon |last=Greenberg |title=Barack Obama links Mitt Romney to infamous tax shelter 'Son of Boss' |publisher=PolitiFact.com |date=August 9, 2012 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207135812/https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2012/aug/13/barack-obama/obama-links-romney-infamous-tax-shelter/ |url-status=live}}|group="nb"}}

Image:USMC-100320-M-2906G-011.jpg for service members at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in March 2010]]

In 2009, the Romneys sold their primary residence in Belmont and their ski chalet in Utah, leaving them an estate along Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, and an oceanfront home in the La Jolla district of San Diego, California, which they had bought the year before.{{Cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2009/08/30/the_long_distance_runner/ |title=The Long-Distance Runner |author=Issenberg, Sasha |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=August 30, 2009 |author-link=Sasha Issenberg |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175558/http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2009/08/30/the_long_distance_runner/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |url=http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2009/05/a_granite_state.php |title=A Granite State Home Base For Romney? |author=McPike, Erin |author2=Barnes, James A. |newspaper=The Hotline |date=May 6, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509071954/http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2009/05/a_granite_state.php |archive-date=May 9, 2009}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/02/17/2_romney_estates_hit_the_market/ |title=2 Romney estates hit the market |author=Abel, David |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=February 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412153930/http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/02/17/2_romney_estates_hit_the_market/ |archive-date=April 12, 2010}} The La Jolla home proved beneficial in location and climate for Ann Romney's multiple sclerosis therapies and for recovering from her late 2008 diagnosis of mammary ductal carcinoma in situ and subsequent lumpectomy.{{Cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/12/06/ann_romney_has_surgery_to_remove_precancerous_lump/ |title=Ann Romney has surgery to remove precancerous lump |author=Levenson, Michael |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=December 6, 2008 |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063628/http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/12/06/ann_romney_has_surgery_to_remove_precancerous_lump/ |url-status=live}} Both it and the New Hampshire estate were near some of their grandchildren. Romney maintained his voting registration in Massachusetts, however, and bought a smaller condominium in Belmont during 2010.{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/04/19/gops_romney_takes_to_life_in_new_california_home/ |title=GOP's Romney takes to life in new California home |author=Johnson, Glen |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=April 19, 2010 |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305035117/http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/04/19/gops_romney_takes_to_life_in_new_california_home/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/08/24/romney_road_trip_may_set_stage_for_white_house_bid/ |title=A 25-state midterm swing for Romney |author=Issenberg, Sasha |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=August 24, 2010 |author-link=Sasha Issenberg |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304234648/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/08/24/romney_road_trip_may_set_stage_for_white_house_bid/ |url-status=live}} In February 2010, Romney had a minor altercation with LMFAO member Skyler Gordy, known as Sky Blu, on an airplane flight.{{#tag:ref|After having attended the 2010 Winter Olympics, Romney and wife were on board an Air Canada plane waiting to take off on a flight from Vancouver to Los Angeles when he got into a physical altercation with Sky Blu, sitting in front of him, over Sky Blu's seat not being in the upright position. Romney said that Sky Blu became physically violent and that he did not retaliate, while Sky Blu said that Romney gave him a "Vulcan grip" first and that he responded physically to that. Sky Blu was escorted off the aircraft by Canadian police but Romney did not press charges and Sky Blu was released.{{cite news |title=Romney Assaulted on Flight Leaving Olympics |first=Jake |last=Gibson |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-assaulted-on-flight-leaving-olympics/ |publisher=Fox News |date=February 16, 2010 |access-date=February 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100219231455/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/15/report-romney-threatened-flight-vancouver/ |archive-date=February 19, 2010 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/02/19/is-vulcan-grip-rapper-sky-blu-who-tussled-with-mitt-romney-the-nerdiest-hip-hop-artist-ever/ |title=Is 'Vulcan Grip' Rapper Sky Blu, Who Tussled With Mitt Romney, the Nerdiest Hip-Hop Artist Ever? |date=February 19, 2010 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=August 4, 2017 |archive-date=March 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304054700/https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/02/19/is-vulcan-grip-rapper-sky-blu-who-tussled-with-mitt-romney-the-nerdiest-hip-hop-artist-ever/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Sky Blu of LMFAO claims Mitt Romney got physical first on flight from Vancouver |first=Joe |last=Tacopino |url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-02-19/news/27056768_1_romney-spokesman-eric-fehrnstrom-mitt-romney-claims |newspaper=Daily News |date=February 19, 2010 |access-date=October 26, 2012 |archive-date=February 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209024046/http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-02-19/news/27056768_1_romney-spokesman-eric-fehrnstrom-mitt-romney-claims |url-status=dead}}|group="nb"}}

Romney released his book, No Apology: The Case for American Greatness, in March 2010, and undertook an 18-state book tour to promote it.{{Cite news |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31133.html |title=Mitt Romney headed to Iowa |author=Barr, Andy |newspaper=Politico |date=January 4, 2010 |access-date=January 7, 2010 |archive-date=January 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108010825/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31133.html |url-status=live}} In the book, he writes of his belief in American exceptionalism, and presents his economic and geopolitical views rather than anecdotes about his personal or political life.{{cite news |last=Altman |first=Alex |url=http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1969266,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100306065159/http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1969266,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 6, 2010 |title=The Skimmer: Mitt Romney's 'No Apology' |magazine=Time |date=March 3, 2010}}{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2010/03/02/mitt_romneys_no_apology_is_not_light_reading/ |title=In book, Romney styles himself wonk, not warrior |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=March 2, 2010 |author=Issenberg, Sasha |author-link=Sasha Issenberg |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304212241/http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2010/03/02/mitt_romneys_no_apology_is_not_light_reading/ |url-status=live}} It debuted atop The New York Times Best Seller list.{{cite news |last=Zimmermann |first=Eric |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/63982-romney-tops-bestseller-list-but-with-an-asterisk/ |title=Romney tops bestseller list, but with an asterisk |newspaper=The Hill |date=March 13, 2010 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207135811/https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/86573-romney-tops-bestseler-list-but-with-an-asterisk |url-status=live}} Romney donated his earnings from the book to charity.{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2011/08/13/romney_worth_between_190m_and_250m_campaign_says/ |title=Romney worth between $190m and $250m, campaign says |author=Viser, Matt |date=August 13, 2011 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407083817/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2011/08/13/romney_worth_between_190m_and_250m_campaign_says/ |archive-date=April 7, 2014}}

Immediately after the March 2010 passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Romney attacked the landmark legislation as "an unconscionable abuse of power" and said it should be repealed.{{Cite news |url=https://www.deseret.com/2010/3/27/20104871/romneycare-may-come-back-to-haunt-mitt-on-health-issue |title=Romneycare may come back to haunt Mitt on health issue |author=Johnson, Glen |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City |date=March 26, 2010 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207135813/https://www.deseret.com/2010/3/27/20104871/romneycare-may-come-back-to-haunt-mitt-on-health-issue |url-status=live}} The antipathy Republicans felt for it created a potential problem for Romney, since the new federal law was in many ways similar to the Massachusetts health care reform passed during his gubernatorial tenure; as one Associated Press article stated, "Obamacare ... looks a lot like Romneycare." While acknowledging that his plan was an imperfect work in progress, Romney did not back away from it. He defended the state-level health insurance mandate that underpinned it, calling the bill the right answer to Massachusetts's problems at the time.{{Cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=12405439 |url-status=dead |title=Health Mandate Cases to Loom Over 2012 Romney Run |author=Johnson, Glen |agency=Associated Press |work=ABC News |date=December 15, 2010 |access-date=July 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628200536/http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=12405439 |archive-date=June 28, 2011}}{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/03/30/romney_defends_massachusetts_health_care_law/ |title=Romney defends Mass. health care law |author=Issenberg, Sasha |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=March 30, 2010 |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304211817/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/03/30/romney_defends_massachusetts_health_care_law/ |url-status=live}}

In nationwide opinion polling for the 2012 Republican presidential primaries, Romney led or placed in the top three with Palin and Huckabee. A January 2010 National Journal survey of political insiders found that a majority of Republican insiders and a plurality of Democratic insiders predicted Romney would be the party's 2012 nominee.{{Cite news |url=http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/01/gop_insiders_so.php |title=GOP Insiders Sour On Palin |work=The Hotline |date=January 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109234539/http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/01/gop_insiders_so.php |archive-date=January 9, 2010}} Romney campaigned heavily for Republican candidates in the 2010 midterm elections,{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2010/10/romney-plan-go-big-go-everywhere-043566 |title=Mitt Romney's plan: Go big, go everywhere |author=Burns, Alexander |newspaper=Politico |date=October 13, 2010 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207135812/https://www.politico.com/story/2010/10/romney-plan-go-big-go-everywhere-043566 |url-status=live}} raising more money than the other prospective 2012 Republican presidential candidates.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2010/10/romneys-17-million-tops-field-043607 |title=Romney's $1.7 million tops field |author=Vogel, Kenneth P. |newspaper=Politico |date=October 14, 2010 |access-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207141320/https://www.politico.com/story/2010/10/romneys-17-million-tops-field-043607 |url-status=live}} Beginning in early 2011, he presented a more relaxed image, including more casual attire.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/us/politics/06romney.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110307172137/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/us/politics/06romney.html |archive-date=March 7, 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=To Quiet Critics, Romney Puts 2012 Focus on Jobs |author=Zeleny, Jeff |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 5, 2011}}

{{Main|Mitt Romney 2012 presidential campaign}}

{{Further|2012 Republican Party presidential primaries|2012 United States presidential election}}

File:Romney 2011 Paradise Valley, AZ rally.jpg]]

On April 11, 2011, Romney announced, in a video taped outdoors at the University of New Hampshire, that he had formed an exploratory committee for a run for the Republican presidential nomination.{{cite news |url=https://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/11/romney-forms-presidential-exploratory-committee/ |first1=Paul |last1=Steinhauser |first2=Robert |last2=Yoon |title=Romney forms presidential exploratory committee |publisher=CNN |date=April 11, 2011 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303061152/https://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/11/romney-forms-presidential-exploratory-committee/ |url-status=dead}} Quinnipiac University political science professor Scott McLean said, "We all knew that he was going to run. He's really been running for president ever since the day after the 2008 election."{{cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2011/04/12/romney_takes_next_big_step_toward_run_for_president/ |title=Romney takes next big step toward run for president |author=Viser, Matt |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=April 12, 2011 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203115218/http://archive.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2011/04/12/romney_takes_next_big_step_toward_run_for_president/ |url-status=live}}

Romney stood to benefit from the Republican electorate's tendency to nominate candidates who had previously run for president, and thus appeared to be next in line to be chosen.{{cite news |url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/10/20/palin-or-romney-republicans-weigh-passion-vs-principle/ |title=Palin or Romney: Republicans Weigh Passion vs. Principle |author=Lewis, Matt |work=Politics Daily |date=October 20, 2009 |author-link=Matt Lewis (political blogger) |access-date=December 29, 2010 |archive-date=November 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124134103/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/10/20/palin-or-romney-republicans-weigh-passion-vs-principle/ |url-status=live}} The early stages of the race found him as the apparent front-runner in a weak field, especially in terms of fundraising prowess and organization.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2011/05/x-factor-5-questions-for-the-gop-race-055095 |title=X factor: 5 questions for the GOP race |author=Burns, Alexander |newspaper=Politico |date=May 17, 2011 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206124353/https://www.politico.com/story/2011/05/x-factor-5-questions-for-the-gop-race-055095 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/05/the-do-nothing-frontrunner/238376/ |title=The Do-Nothing Frontrunner |author=Green, Joshua |magazine=The Atlantic |date=May 5, 2011 |author-link=Joshua Green (journalist) |access-date=March 10, 2017 |archive-date=November 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119075612/http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/05/the-do-nothing-frontrunner/238376/ |url-status=live}} Perhaps his greatest hurdle in gaining the Republican nomination was party opposition to the Massachusetts health care reform law that he had shepherded five years earlier.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2011/04/5-challenges-for-front-runner-romney-052981 |title=5 challenges for front-runner Mitt Romney |author=Martin, Jonathan |author2=Burns, Alexander |newspaper=Politico |date=April 12, 2011 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206124348/https://www.politico.com/story/2011/04/5-challenges-for-front-runner-romney-052981 |url-status=live}} As many potential Republican candidates with star power and fundraising ability decided not to run (including Mike Pence, John Thune, Haley Barbour, Mike Huckabee, and Mitch Daniels), Republican party figures searched for plausible alternatives to Romney.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2011/05/with-daniels-out-gop-hopes-for-new-options-055425 |title=With Mitch Daniels out, GOP looking for new 2012 option |author=Martin, Jonathan |newspaper=Politico |date=May 22, 2011 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206124350/https://www.politico.com/story/2011/05/with-daniels-out-gop-hopes-for-new-options-055425 |url-status=live}}

On June 2, 2011, Romney formally announced the start of his campaign. Speaking on a farm in Stratham, New Hampshire, he focused on the economy and criticized Obama's handling of it.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/romney-launches-presidential-bid-with-obama-misery-index-attack/ |title=Romney launches presidential bid with Obama 'misery index' attack |author=Condon, Stephanie |work=CBS News |date=June 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605055025/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20068348-503544.html |archive-date=June 5, 2011}} He said, "In the campaign to come, the American ideals of economic freedom and opportunity need a clear and unapologetic defense, and I intend to make it – because I have lived it."{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/03/us/politics/03romney.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606081039/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/03/us/politics/03romney.html |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Romney, Opening Race, Presents Himself as the Candidate to Face Obama |author=Shear, Michael D. |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 2, 2011}}

Romney raised $56 million in 2011, more than double the amount raised by any of his Republican opponents,{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/us/politics/obama-raised-42-million-in-last-quarter-of-11.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113070326/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/us/politics/obama-raised-42-million-in-last-quarter-of-11.html |archive-date=January 13, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Obama Raised $42 Million in Last Quarter of '11 |last=Shear |first=Michael D. |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 13, 2012}} and refrained from spending his own money on the campaign.{{Cite news |author=Viser, Matt |title=Romney raises $14.2m last quarter, but trails Perry |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2011/10/15/mitt_romney_raised_142_million_in_quarter/ |date=October 15, 2011 |newspaper=The Boston Globe}} He initially pursued a low-key, low-profile strategy.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2011/08/romneys-low-profile-strategy-060444 |title=Mitt Romney's low-profile strategy |author=Smith, Ben |newspaper=Politico |date=August 1, 2011}} Michele Bachmann staged a brief surge in polls, which preceded a poll surge in September 2011 by Rick Perry, who had entered the race the month before.{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/accelerating-gop-race-poised-to-test-perrys-staying-power-romneys-obama-strategy |title=Accelerating GOP Race Poised to Test Perry's Staying Power, Romney's Obama Strategy |publisher=Fox News |date=September 3, 2011}} Perry and Romney exchanged sharp criticisms of each other during a series of debates among the Republican candidates.{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2011-09-25/GOP-presidential-race-Romney-Perry-debates/50547872/1 |title=GOP debates signal a race between Romney and Perry |author=Kucinich, Jackie |newspaper=USA Today |date=September 25, 2011}} The October 2011 decisions of Palin and Chris Christie not to run effectively settled the field of candidates.{{cite news |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/President/2011/1111/Newt-Gingrich-Will-his-mini-surge-in-the-polls-last |title=Newt Gingrich: Will his mini-surge in the polls last? |last=Tulumello |first=Jennifer Skalka |newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor |date=November 11, 2011}} Perry faded after poor performances in those debates, while Herman Cain's "long-shot" bid gained popularity until allegations of sexual misconduct derailed it.{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cain-and-gingrich-benefit-from-perry-swoon |first=Chris |last=Stirewalt |title=Cain and Gingrich Benefit from Perry Swoon |publisher=Fox News |date=September 29, 2011}}{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cain-suspends-presidential-campaign-cites-hurt-caused-by-false-allegations |title=Cain Suspends Presidential Campaign, Cites 'Hurt' Caused by 'False' Allegations |publisher=Fox News |date=December 3, 2011}}

File:RomneyToledo (8069625998).jpg

Romney continued to seek support from a wary Republican electorate; at this point in the race, his poll numbers were relatively flat and at a historically low level for a Republican front-runner.{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2016416269_apuscampaign2012reset.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114032852/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2016416269_apuscampaign2012reset.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 14, 2012 |title=With GOP Field Set, Romney Woos The Unconvinced |agency=Associated Press |author=Babington, Charles |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=October 5, 2011}}{{cite news |first=Lydia |last=Saad |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/149990/Cain-Surges-Nearly-Ties-Romney-Lead-GOP-Preferences.aspx |publisher=The Gallup Organization |title=Cain Surges, Nearly Ties Romney for Lead in GOP Preferences |date=October 10, 2011}}{{cite news |url=https://swampland.time.com/2011/12/01/mitt-romney-why-dont-they-like-him/ |title=Why Don't They Like Mitt? |last=Klein |first=Joe |magazine=Time |date=December 1, 2011 |author-link=Joe Klein}} After the charges of flip-flopping that marked his 2008 campaign began to accumulate again, Romney said in November 2011: "I've been as consistent as human beings can be."{{cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2011/10/09/romney_rivals_may_go_after_him_for_flip_flops/ |title=Romney rivals may go after him for flip-flops |author=Elliot, Philip |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=October 9, 2011}}{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitt-romneys-shifting-views-on-climate-change/ |title=Mitt Romney's shifting views on climate change |first=Coral |last=Davenport |work=CBS News |date=October 28, 2011}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/romney-says-hes-been-consistent/2011/11/03/gIQAbfJejM_blog.html |title=Romney says he's been consistent |author=Wallsten, Peter |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 3, 2011}} In the month before voting began, Newt Gingrich experienced a significant surge – taking a solid lead in national polls and most of the early caucus and primary states{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2011/12/romney-newts-the-front-runner-070298 |title=Mitt Romney on Newt Gingrich: He's the front-runner |author=Allen, Mike |newspaper=Politico |date=December 12, 2011}} – before settling back into parity or worse with Romney following a barrage of negative ads from Restore Our Future, a pro-Romney Super PAC.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/poll-newt-gingrichs-lead-over-romney-is-gone/ |title=Poll: Newt Gingrich's lead over Romney is gone |author=Montopoli, Brian |work=CBS News |date=December 19, 2011}}

In the initial contest, the Iowa caucuses of January 3, election officials announced Romney as ahead with 25% of the vote, edging out a late-gaining Rick Santorum by eight votes (Ron Paul finished third).{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2012/01/03/politics/iowa-caucus/index.html |title=Romney defeats Santorum by 8 votes in Iowa |work=CNN |date=January 4, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} Sixteen days later, however, they certified Santorum as the winner by 34 votes.{{cite news |url=https://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/the-semantics-and-statistics-of-santorums-win-in-iowa/ |title=The Semantics and Statistics of Santorum's Win in Iowa |author=Silver, Nate |work=FiveThirtyEight, The New York Times |date=January 19, 2012 |author-link=Nate Silver}} A week after the Iowa caucuses, Romney earned a decisive win in the New Hampshire primary with 39% of the vote; Paul finished second and Jon Huntsman Jr. third.{{cite news |publisher=Fox News |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-secures-front-runner-status-with-new-hampshire-win-looks-to-take-momentum-into-south-carolina |title=Romney secures front-runner status with New Hampshire win, looks to take momentum into South Carolina |date=January 11, 2012}}

In the run-up to the South Carolina Republican primary, Gingrich launched ads criticizing Romney for causing job losses while at Bain Capital, Perry referred to Romney's role there as "vulture capitalism", and Palin pressed Romney to prove his claim that he created 100,000 jobs during that time.{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-gingrich-tangle-over-ads-in-south-carolina |title=Romney, Gingrich tangle over ads in South Carolina |publisher=Fox News |date=January 13, 2012}}{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2012/01/palin-mitt-needs-bain-show-tell-071364 |title=Sarah Palin: Mitt Romney needs Bain show & tell |newspaper=Politico |author=Lee, MJ |date=January 12, 2012}} Romney also faced accusations of asset stripping.Kantrow, Yvette. (January 23, 2012). [https://www.huffpost.com/entry/romneys-bain_b_1219990 Romney's Bain]. HuffPost.Dowd, Maureen. (January 10, 2012). [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/11/opinion/dowd-a-perfect-doll.html A Perfect Doll]. New York Times.Porritt, Richard. (April 13, 2012). [https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/rivals-force-mitt-romney-to-defend-former-life-as-an-asset-stripper-7308556.html Rivals force Mitt Romney to defend former life as an 'asset stripper]. Evening Standard. Many conservatives rallied in defense of Romney, rejecting what they took to be criticism of free-market capitalism. During two debates in the state, Romney fumbled questions about releasing his income tax returns, while Gingrich gained support with audience-rousing attacks on the debate moderators.{{cite news |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2012/01/south-carolina-debate-gingrich-nails-open-marriage-question-bests-a-flustered-romney.html |title=The Brawl |last=Dickerson |first=John |magazine=Slate |date=January 20, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} Romney's double-digit lead in state polls evaporated; he lost the January 21 primary to Gingrich by 13 points. Combined with the delayed loss in Iowa, Romney's poor week represented a lost chance to end the race early, and he quickly decided to release two years of his tax returns.{{cite news |first1=Steven |last1=Thomma |first2=David |last2=Lightman |first3=Gina |last3=Smith |url=https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article24722665.html |title=Gingrich wins huge come-from-behind victory in South Carolina |agency=McClatchy Newspapers |date=January 21, 2012 |access-date=April 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151021234414/https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article24722665.html |archive-date=October 21, 2015 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.masslive.com/news/2012/01/mitt_romney_will_release_tax_r.html |first=Steve |last=Peoples |title=Mitt Romney will release tax returns Tuesday; rival Newt Gingrich calls himself most electable GOP candidate |agency=Associated Press |work=MassLive.com |date=January 22, 2012}} The race turned to the Florida primary, where in debates, appearances, and advertisements, Romney launched a sustained barrage against Gingrich's record, associations and electability.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2012/01/florida-is-armageddon-071862 |title=Florida Republican primary is 'Armageddon' |author=Burns, Alexander |author2=Bravender, Robin |newspaper=Politico |date=January 24, 2012}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/us/politics/the-calculations-that-led-romney-to-the-warpath.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120129211323/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/us/politics/the-calculations-that-led-romney-to-the-warpath.html |archive-date=January 29, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=The Calculations That Led Romney to the Warpath |author=Rutenberg, Jim |author2=Zeleny, Jeff |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 28, 2012}} Romney enjoyed a large spending advantage from both his campaign and his aligned Super PAC, and after a record-breaking rate of negative ads from both sides, Romney won Florida on January 31, with 46% of the vote to Gingrich's 32%.{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2012/01/31/politics/florida-primary/index.html |title=Romney claims victory in Florida, builds new momentum |first1=Tom |last1=Cohen |first2=Paul |last2=Steinhauser |publisher=CNN |date=February 1, 2012}}

File:Paul Ryan with Mitt Romney in Norfolk, Virginia 8-11-12.jpg in Norfolk, Virginia, during the vice presidential selection announcement on August 11, 2012]]

Several caucuses and primaries took place during February, and Santorum won three in a single night early in the month, propelling him into the lead in national and some state polls and positioning him as Romney's chief rival.{{cite news |url=https://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/14/polls-all-tied-up-between-romney-and-santorum/ |first=Paul |last=Steinhauser |title=Polls: All tied up between Romney and Santorum |publisher=CNN |date=February 14, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206124352/https://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/14/polls-all-tied-up-between-romney-and-santorum/ |url-status=dead}} Days later, Romney told the Conservative Political Action Conference that he had been a "severely conservative governor"{{cite news |last=Fahrenthold |first=David A. |title=Mitt Romney was 'severely conservative', he tells CPAC |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romney-was-severely-conservative-governor-he-tells-cpac/2012/02/10/gIQABoNT4Q_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 10, 2012}} (while in 2005 he had maintained that his positions were moderate and characterized reports that he was shifting to the right to attract conservative votes as a media distortion{{cite news |last=Phillips |first=Frank |title=Romney says media distort his views: insists positions moderate in US, except in Mass |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/12/22/romney_says_media_distort_his_views/ |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=December 22, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060627072700/http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/12/22/romney_says_media_distort_his_views?page=full%2F |archive-date=June 27, 2006 |url-status=dead}}). He sought Donald Trump's endorsement, and received it in February 2012, with a speech by Trump and Romney in which Romney joked that he had spent his "life in the private sector, not quite as successful as this guy [Trump] but successful nonetheless".{{Cite web |last=Silverleib |first=Mark Preston,Alan |date=2012-02-02 |title=Trump endorses Romney |url=https://www.cnn.com/2012/02/02/politics/campaign-wrap/index.html |access-date=August 10, 2024 |website=CNN}} Romney won the other five February contests, including a closely fought one in Michigan at the end of the month.{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/28/election/2012/primaries/index.html |first=Tom |last=Cohen |title=Romney wins Michigan and Arizona |publisher=CNN |date=February 28, 2012}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/mitt-romney-wins-wyoming-caucuses/2012/02/29/gIQAj2yRjR_blog.html |title=Mitt Romney wins Wyoming caucuses |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 29, 2012 |first=Aaron |last=Blake}} In the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses of March 6, Romney won six of ten contests, including a narrow victory in Ohio over a vastly outspent Santorum. Although his victories were not enough to end the race, they were enough to establish a two-to-one delegate lead over Santorum.{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-builds-delegate-lead-with-super-tuesday-wins |title=Romney builds delegate lead with Super Tuesday wins |publisher=Fox News |date=March 7, 2012}} Romney maintained his delegate margin through subsequent contests,{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-sweeps-3-primary-contests-eyes-general-election-battle |title=Romney sweeps 3 primary contests, eyes general election battle |publisher=Fox News |date=April 4, 2012}} and Santorum suspended his campaign on April 10.{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2012/04/10/politics/campaign-wrap/index.html |title=Santorum suspends campaign, clearing Romney's path |first=Tom |last=Cohen |publisher=CNN |date=April 10, 2012}} Following a sweep of five more contests on April 24, the Republican National Committee put its resources to work for Romney as the party's presumptive nominee.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-apr-25-la-pn-rnc-officially-names-mitt-romney-the-partys-presumptive-nominee-20120425-story.html |title=RNC officially names Mitt Romney the party's 'presumptive nominee' |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=April 25, 2012 |first=Michael A. |last=Memoli}}

Polls consistently indicated a tight race for the November general election.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2012/07/7-points-that-could-tip-the-election-078105 |title=7 points that could tip the election |last=Haberman |first=Maggie |newspaper=Politico |date=July 5, 2012}} Negative ads from both sides dominated the campaign, with Obama's proclaiming that Romney shipped jobs overseas while at Bain Capital and kept money in offshore tax havens and Swiss bank accounts.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/26/us/politics/negative-ads-hit-at-identity-to-shape-race.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120726071207/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/26/us/politics/negative-ads-hit-at-identity-to-shape-race.html |archive-date=July 26, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Negative Ads Hit at Identity to Shape Race for Presidency |first=Jeremy W. |last=Peters |newspaper=The New York Times |date=July 25, 2012 |page=A1}} A related issue dealt with Romney's purported responsibility for actions at Bain Capital after taking the Olympics post. Romney faced demands from Democrats to release additional years of his tax returns, an action a number of Republicans also felt would be wise; after being adamant that he would not do that, he released summaries of them in late September.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2012/09/romney-releases-2011-tax-returns-081528 |title=Mitt Romney releases 2011 tax returns |last=Gibson |first=Ginger |date=September 21, 2012 |newspaper=Politico}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/19/us/politics/romney-steadfast-against-release-of-more-tax-returns.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719140130/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/19/us/politics/romney-steadfast-against-release-of-more-tax-returns.html |archive-date=July 19, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Romney Steadfast in the Face of Growing Calls to Release More Tax Returns |first1=Michael D. |last1=Shear |first2=Trip |last2=Gabriel |newspaper=The New York Times |date=July 18, 2012}} During May and June, the Obama campaign spent heavily and was able to paint a negative image of Romney in voters' minds before the Romney campaign could construct a positive one.

In July 2012, Romney visited the United Kingdom, Israel, and Poland, meeting leaders in an effort to raise his credibility as a world statesman.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/feedarticle/10363621 |title=Romney hails US-Polish ties during visit to Warsaw |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Guardian |date=July 31, 2012 |first=Kasie |last=Hunt}} Comments he made about the readiness of the 2012 Summer Olympics were perceived as undiplomatic by the British press.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/british-papers-blast-mitt-romney/ |title=British papers blast Mitt Romney |work=CBS News |date=July 26, 2012 |last=Condon |first=Stephanie}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jul/26/mitt-romney-olympics-blunder |title=Mitt Romney's Olympics blunder stuns No 10 and hands gift to Obama |newspaper=The Guardian |date=July 27, 2012 |first1=Nicholas |last1=Watt |first2=Hélène |last2=Mulholland |first3=Owen |last3=Gibson}} Israeli Prime Minister (and former BCG colleague) Benjamin Netanyahu embraced Romney, though some Palestinians criticized him for suggesting that Israel's culture led to their greater economic success.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jul/31/romney-touts-poland-economic-success-story/ |title=Romney's trip a bumpy ride |first=Seth |last=McLaughlin |newspaper=The Washington Times |date=July 31, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}

On August 11, 2012, the Romney campaign announced Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his running mate.{{cite news |last=Hunt |first=Kasie |title=It's Paul Ryan: Romney picks Wis. Rep. for No. 2 |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ap-sources-romney-intends-name-ryan-his-no-2 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=April 26, 2014 |date=August 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813212644/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ap-sources-romney-intends-name-ryan-his-no-2 |archive-date=August 13, 2012}} On August 28, 2012, the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, officially nominated Romney for president.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/republican-delegates-nominate-mitt-romney/ |title=Republican delegates nominate Mitt Romney |work=CBS News |date=August 28, 2012 |last=Caldwell |first=Leigh Ann |access-date=February 6, 2020}} Romney became the first LDS Church member to be a major-party presidential nominee.{{cite news |url=http://azstarnet.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/romney-s-nomination-seen-as-positive-for-mormons/article_5d7c8599-576d-524f-8a6b-df6cbe25b158.html |title=Romney's nomination seen as positive for Mormons |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Arizona Daily Star |date=September 3, 2012}}

In mid-September, a video surfaced of Romney speaking before a group of supporters in which he said that 47% of the nation pays no income tax, are dependent on the federal government, see themselves as victims, and will support Obama unconditionally. He went on to say, "And so my job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/18/mitt-romney-secret-video |title=Mitt Romney under fire after comments caught on video |first=Ewan |last=MacAskill |newspaper=The Guardian |date=September 17, 2012}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/decision2012/romneys-47-percent-comments-arent-going-away/2012/10/01/17604654-0be5-11e2-a310-2363842b7057_story.html |title=Romney's '47 percent' comments aren't going away, and they're taking a toll |first=Philip |last=Rucker |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 1, 2012}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nj.com/njvoices/2012/09/mitt_romney_and_the_47_percent.html |title=Mitt Romney and the 47 percent: Looking at the facts |newspaper=The Star-Ledger |location=Newark |date=September 18, 2012}} After facing criticism about the tone and accuracy of these comments, he at first characterized them as "inelegantly stated", then a couple of weeks later commented: "I said something that's just completely wrong." Exit polls published following the election showed that voters never saw Romney as someone who cared about people like them.

In an interview on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, Romney called Russia "our number one geopolitical foe".{{Cite web |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mitt-romney-russia-geopolitical-foe_n_1380801 |title=Mitt Romney: Russia Is 'Our Number One Geopolitical Foe' |first=Luke |last=Johnson |date=March 26, 2012 |website=HuffPost}}{{Cite web |url=http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/03/mitt-romney-says-russia-is-no-1-geopolitical-foe |title=Mitt Romney Says Russia Is No. 1 Geopolitical Foe |website=ABC News |first=Emily |last=Friedman |date=March 26, 2012}} At the time an innocuous response to a foreign policy question, it became a focal point for Democratic attacks on Romney during the campaign.{{Cite web |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/02/biden-democratic-attacks-romney-convention |title=Joe Biden leads Democratic attacks on Romney before Charlotte convention |first=Matt |last=Williams |date=September 2, 2012 |website=The Guardian}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/03/29/romneys_russia_comments_reflect_long-held_distrust_113652.html |title=Romney's Russia Comments Reflect Long-Held Distrust |website=RealClearPolitics |first=Scott |last=Conroy |date=March 29, 2012 |access-date=November 22, 2024}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/rothman-msnbcs-most-embarrassing-mockery-of-romneys-russia-warnings/ |title=Rothman: MSNBC's Most Embarrassing Mockery of Romney's Russia Warnings |work=Mediaite |first=Noah |last=Rothman |date=March 3, 2014 |access-date=November 22, 2024}} Hillary Clinton, then secretary of state, called Romney's position "dated" and said Russia had been an ally in solving problems,{{Cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/04/hillary-clinton-calls-romneys-russia-comments-dated-updated-119292 |title=Hillary Clinton calls Romney's Russia comments 'dated' (Updated) |first=Maggie |last=Haberman |website=Politico |date=April 2012}} while Joe Biden, then vice president, accused Romney of having a "Cold War mentality" and being "uninformed" on foreign policy.{{Cite web |date=April 1, 2012 |title=Biden and Clinton hit Romney for 'dated' comments on Russia |url=https://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/biden-and-clinton-hit-romney-for-dated-comments-on-russia/news-story/663701e4c6e6037ee3b78150a4c342e1 |access-date=June 17, 2021 |website=NewsComAu |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=Biden, Clinton hit back at Romney |url=https://torontosun.com/2012/04/01/biden-clinton-hit-back-at-romney |newspaper=Toronto Sun |agency=Reuters |access-date=November 22, 2024 |language=en-CA}} John Kerry, then a senator, called Romney's comments "breathtakingly off target"{{Cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.com/news/kerry-calls-romneys-russia-position-breathtakingly-off-target-111700259.html |title=Kerry Calls Romney's Russia Position 'Breathtakingly Off Target' |website=news.yahoo.com |date=May 25, 2012}} and reiterated that position at the Democratic National Convention, saying, "He's even blurted out the preposterous notion that Russia is our number one political geopolitical foe."{{Cite web |title=Video: John Kerry Aims International Zingers at Mitt Romney |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/john-kerry-aims-international-zingers-mitt-romney-17177781 |access-date=June 17, 2021 |website=ABC News |language=en}} Romney defended his remarks, saying, "The nation which consistently opposes our actions at the United Nations has been Russia{{nbsp}}... Russia is a geopolitical foe in that regard",{{Cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.com/news/romney-keeps-attacks-russia-110836427.html |title=Romney Keeps Up Attacks on Russia |website=news.yahoo.com |first=Matthew |last=Shelly |date=June 19, 2012}} and continued to defend his position in the presidential debates.{{Cite journal |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2012/1023/In-debate-Romney-reiterates-Russia-is-geopolitical-foe-of-US |title=In debate, Romney reiterates Russia is 'geopolitical foe' of US |date=October 23, 2012 |journal=The Christian Science Monitor}}

File:ElectoralCollege2012.svg

The first of three 2012 presidential election debates took place on October 3, in Denver. Media figures and political analysts widely viewed Romney as having delivered a stronger and more focused presentation than Obama.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/05/us/politics/for-obama-and-romney-campaign-gains-new-intensity-in-debates-wake.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005053248/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/05/us/politics/for-obama-and-romney-campaign-gains-new-intensity-in-debates-wake.html |archive-date=October 5, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Campaign Gains a New Intensity in Debate's Wake |first1=Jim |last1=Rutenberg |first2=Peter |last2=Baker |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 4, 2012}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nj.com/politics/2012/10/romneys_debate_performance_was.html |title=Romney's debate performance was presidential game changer, analysts say |newspaper=The Star-Ledger |location=Newark |date=October 5, 2012}} That debate overshadowed Obama's improved presentation in the next two debates later in October, and Romney maintained a small advantage in the debates when seen as a whole.{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2012/10/25/usa-today-gallup-poll-debates/1657145/ |title=Poll: An Obama comeback, but a Romney edge on debates |first=Susan |last=Page |newspaper=USA Today |date=October 25, 2012}}

The election took place on November 6, and Obama was projected the winner at about 11:14 pm Eastern Standard Time.{{cite news |url=http://www.whiotv.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/latest-presidential-vice-presidential-race-coverag/nSyhJ/ |title=Latest: Obama, Biden declared winners |first=Mandy |last=Gambrell |publisher=WHIO-TV |date=November 7, 2012 |access-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-date=November 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110054850/http://www.whiotv.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/latest-presidential-vice-presidential-race-coverag/nSyhJ/ |url-status=dead}} He won 332 electoral votes to Romney's 206. Romney lost all but one of nine battleground states and received 47% of the popular vote to Obama's 51%.{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/11/06/obama-defeats-romney-to-win-second-term-fox-news-projects/ |title=Obama defeats Romney to win second term, vows he has 'more work to do' |publisher=Fox News |date=November 7, 2012}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-obama-biden-officially-win-second-term-20130104,0,5932518.story |title=It's official: Obama, Biden win second term |author=Memoli, Michael A. |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=January 4, 2013}} Media accounts described Romney as "shellshocked" by the result.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/adviser-romney-shellshocked-by-loss/ |title=Adviser: Romney 'shellshocked' by loss |first=Jan |last=Crawford |author-link=Jan Crawford |work=CBS News |date=November 8, 2012}} He and his senior campaign staff had disbelieved public polls showing Obama narrowly ahead and had thought they were going to win until the vote tallies began to be reported on election night. But Romney's get out the vote operation had been inferior to Obama's, both in person-to-person organization and in voter modeling and outreach technology{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-the-obama-campaign-won-the-race-for-voter-data/2013/07/28/ad32c7b4-ee4e-11e2-a1f9-ea873b7e0424_story.html |title=How the Obama campaign won the race for voter data |first=Dan |last=Balz |author-link=Dan Balz |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 28, 2013}} (the latter exemplified by the failure of the Project Orca application).{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2012/12/23/the-story-behind-mitt-romney-loss-presidential-campaign-president-obama/OeZRabbooIw0z7QYAOyFFP/story.html |title=Mitt Romney was hesitant to reveal himself |first=Michael |last=Kranish |author-link=Michael Kranish |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=December 23, 2012}} In his concession speech to his supporters, he said, "Like so many of you, Paul and I have left everything on the field. We have given our all to this campaign. I so wish that I had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead this country in a different direction, but the nation chose another leader."{{cite news |url=http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/06/14976592-victorious-obama-more-determined-in-face-of-challenges |title=Victorious Obama 'more determined' in face of challenges |first=Michael |last=O'Brien |work=NBC News |date=November 7, 2012}} Reflecting on his defeat during a conference call to hundreds of fundraisers and donors a week after the election, Romney attributed the outcome to Obama's having secured the votes of specific interest groups, including African Americans, Hispanic Americans, young people, and women, by offering them what Romney called "extraordinary financial gifts".{{cite news |last1=Santucci |first1=John |last2=Good |first2=Chris |last3=Walshe |first3=Shushannah |title=Everything Romney said to explain away loss |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/obamas-gifts-small-campaign-bill-clintons-thoughtsromneys-parting/story?id=17727179 |work=ABC News |date=November 15, 2012}}{{cite news |last=Parker |first=Ashley |title=Romney blames loss on Obama's 'gifts' to minorities and young voters |url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/romney-blames-loss-on-obamas-gifts-to-minorities-and-young-voters/ |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 14, 2012}}{{cite news |last=Reston |first=Maeve |title=Romney attributes loss to 'gifts' Obama gave minorities |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-romney-donors-20121115,0,1719033.story |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=November 15, 2012}} The remark drew heavy criticism from prominent members of the Republican party.{{cite news |last=Wallace |first=Gregory |title=Gingrich: Romney 'gifts' comment 'nuts' |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/18/gingrich-romney-gifts-comment-nuts/ |publisher=CNN |date=November 18, 2012 |access-date=November 18, 2012 |archive-date=November 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121121161852/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/18/gingrich-romney-gifts-comment-nuts/ |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |last=Falcone |first=Michael |title=Republicans Mourning for Mitt Romney? Not So Much |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/republicans-mourning-mitt-romney/story?id=17742687 |work=ABC News |date=November 17, 2012}}

Image:Speaker Ryan with Governor & Ann Romney.tif with Paul Ryan in 2015]]

During the first year after his defeat, Romney generally kept a low profile,{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-detached-romney-tends-wounds-in-seclusion-after-failed-white-house-bid/2012/12/01/4305079a-38a9-11e2-8a97-363b0f9a0ab3_story.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=A detached Romney tends wounds in seclusion after failed White House bid |date=December 1, 2012 |last=Rucker |first=Phillip |newspaper=The Washington Post}} with his ordinary daily activities around San Diego captured via social media glimpses.{{cite news |title=Hall: Stop taking pictures of Mitt in La Jolla |last=Hall |first=Matthew T. |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-hall-stop-taking-pictures-of-mitt-in-la-jolla-2012dec12-story.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |newspaper=U-T San Diego |date=December 12, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021193900/http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/dec/12/mitt-romneys-political-career-sunsets-in-la-jolla/ |archive-date=October 21, 2013}} In December 2012, he joined the board of Marriott International for a third stint as a director.{{cite news |url=https://news.yahoo.com/mitt-romney-rejoins-marriott-board-200634290--finance.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Mitt Romney rejoins Marriott board |date=December 3, 2012 |agency=Associated Press |last=Bomkamp |first=Samantha |publisher=Yahoo! News}} In March 2013, Romney gave a reflective interview on Fox News Sunday, saying, "It kills me not to be there, not to be in the White House doing what needs to be done." He again expressed regret at the "47 percent" remark, saying "There's no question that hurt and did real damage to my campaign."{{cite news |last=Whitesides |first=John |title=A reflective Romney emerges from seclusion, rips Obama |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-romney/a-reflective-romney-emerges-from-seclusion-rips-obama-idUSBRE9220DG20130303 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |work=Reuters |date=March 3, 2013}}{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Jake |title=Mitt Romney: 'It kills me' to not be in the White House |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitt-romney-it-kills-me-to-not-be-in-the-white-house/ |access-date=February 6, 2020 |work=CBS News |date=March 3, 2013}} (He echoed both those sentiments a year later.) Romney began working as executive partner group chairman for Solamere Capital, a private capital firm in Boston owned by his son Tagg. He was also involved in supporting several charitable causes.

The Romneys bought a home in the Deer Valley area of Park City, Utah,{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/trulia/2013/10/08/mitt-romney-buys-park-city-utah-home/ |title=Mitt Romney Buys Massive Park City, Utah Mansion |magazine=Forbes |date=October 8, 2013}} and a property in Holladay, Utah, where they planned to tear down an existing house and build a new one.{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2013/11/04/year-after-defeat-mitt-romney-seeks-reemerge-public-voice/06CtD7uSjcFQjccl7S86eM/story.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Mitt Romney carefully looks to raise public voice |first1=Matt |last1=Viser |first2=Michael |last2=Kranish |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=November 4, 2013}} They also gained long-sought permission to replace their La Jolla home with a much bigger one, including a car elevator that had brought some derision during the 2012 campaign. Romney and his siblings continued to own a cottage in a gated community called Beach O' Pines south of Grand Bend, Ontario, which has been in the family for more than 60 years.{{cite news |last=Humphreys |first=Adrian |date=November 3, 2012 |title=Mitt Romney's Canadian 'white house': Family has vacationed at cottage in private, gated Ontario community for 60 years |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/mitt-romneys-canadian-white-house-family-has-vacationed-at-cottage-in-private-gated-ontario-community-for-60-years |newspaper=National Post |location=Toronto |access-date=February 6, 2020}} With the new acquisitions the couple briefly had five homes, near each of their five sons and their families, and the couple continued to spend considerable time with their grandchildren, who by 2013 numbered 22.{{cite news |url=https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=57030430&itype=CMSID |title=The hidden room inside Mitt Romney's new Utah house |first1=Matt |last1=Canham |first2=Thomas |last2=Burr |newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=October 26, 2013 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} They then sold the condominium in Belmont and decided to make their main residence in Utah,{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/05/magazine/mitt-isnt-ready-to-call-it-quits-just-yet.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140930185319/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/05/magazine/mitt-isnt-ready-to-call-it-quits-just-yet.html |archive-date=September 30, 2014 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Mitt Isn't Ready to Call It Quits |first=Mark |last=Leibovich |magazine=The New York Times Magazine |date=September 30, 2014}} switching their voter registration.{{cite news |url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/58481404-90/address-driver-lake-license.html.csp |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Despite voter-registration snafu Mitt Romney not shunning GOP |first=Thomas |last=Burr |newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=October 2, 2014}} The 2014 documentary film Mitt showed a behind-the-scenes, family-based perspective on both of Romney's presidential campaigns and received positive reviews for humanizing Romney and illustrating the toll campaigning takes.{{cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/mitt-romney-netflix-documentary-review-2014-1 |title=The New Mitt Romney Documentary Is Fantastic, and It Exposes the Fundamental Flaw in a Lot of Campaigns |first=Brett |last=Logiurato |work=Business Insider |date=January 25, 2014 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2014/02/15/some-mitt-romney-supporters-suggesting-consider-running-for-president/1v0HwrHNm9fQgEI1YlIc3J/story.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=No, no, not again, Mitt Romney says |first=Matt |last=Viser |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=February 15, 2014}}

Romney thought he might be branded a "loser for life" and fade into an obscurity like his fellow former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis (a similar figure with no obvious base of political support who had lost what his party considered a winnable presidential election){{cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/mitt-romney-hes-back |title=Mitt Romney on the 2016 Comeback Trail |first=Eleanor |last=Clift |work=The Daily Beast |date=February 7, 2014 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} but, to the surprise of many political observers, that did not happen.{{cite news |url=https://theweek.com/articles/444110/amazing-resurrection-mitt-romney |title=The amazing resurrection of Mitt Romney |first=Ryu |last=Spaeth |magazine=The Week |date=August 29, 2014 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} Romney reemerged onto the political scene in the run-up to the 2014 U.S. midterm elections, endorsing, campaigning, and fundraising for a number of Republican candidates, especially those running for the U.S. Senate.{{cite news |last=Costa |first=Robert |title=Mitt Romney returns to political stage as Republicans prepare for midterms |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romney-returns-to-political-stage-as-republicans-prepare-for-midterms/2014/04/18/551c4b22-c634-11e3-bf7a-be01a9b69cf1_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 18, 2014}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/cant-quit-mitt-friends-say-romney-feels-nudge-to-consider-a-2016-presidential-run/2014/10/13/2cb19d12-52ee-11e4-892e-602188e70e9c_story.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Can't quit Mitt: Friends say Romney feels nudge to consider a 2016 presidential run |first1=Philip |last1=Rucker |first2=Robert |last2=Costa |author-link2=Robert Costa (journalist) |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 13, 2014}}

Romney was treated for prostate cancer in summer 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2018/01/08/mitt-romney-was-treated-successfully-for-prostate-cancer/ |title=Mitt Romney was 'treated successfully' for prostate cancer |first=Philip |last=Rucker |date=January 8, 2018 |access-date=January 9, 2018 |via=WashingtonPost.com}}

{{external media|width=210px|float=right|headerimage=250px

|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iefXdC794I Watch Mitt Romney's full March 3 speech: 'Trump is a phony, a fraud'], 17:49, see 2;40–10:00, PBS Newshour{{cite news |first=Judy |last=Woodruff |title=Romney reappears to lead GOP charge against 'phony' Trump |publisher=PBS |date=March 3, 2016 |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/romney-reappears-to-lead-gop-charge-against-phony-trump/ |access-date=March 3, 2016}}

|video2=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WvLe9CHcNY Donald Trump responds to Romney's comments at Maine rally], 43:25, see 7:50–10:00, PBS Newshour

}}

By early 2014, the lack of a clear mainstream Republican candidate for the 2016 presidential election led some supporters, donors, and pollsters to suggest that Romney stage a third run. Regarding such a possibility, Romney at first refused. Nevertheless, speculation continued: Obama's declining popularity led to remorse among some voters; the 2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine made Romney's "number one geopolitical foe" remark look prescient; and an August 2014 poll of Iowa Republicans showed Romney with a large lead there over other potential 2016 candidates.{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-redux-is-the-media-chorus-for-another-mitt-campaign-just-a-fantasy |title=Romney Redux: Is the media chorus for another Mitt campaign just a fantasy? |first=Howard |last=Kurtz |author-link=Howard Kurtz |work=Fox News |date=September 3, 2014 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} A July 2014 CNN poll showed Romney with a 53% to 44% lead over Obama in a hypothetical election "redo".{{cite web |url=https://theweek.com/speedreads/449247/americans-really-wish-elected-mitt-romney-instead-obama |first=Jon |last=Terbush |title=Americans really wish they had elected Mitt Romney instead of Obama |publisher=Theweek.com |date=July 27, 2014 |access-date=September 12, 2017}}{{cite web |first=Noah |last=Rothman |url=https://hotair.com/archives/noah-rothman/2014/07/27/if-voters-had-it-to-do-over-romney-in-a-landslide/ |title=If voters had it to do over, Romney in a landslide |work=Hot Air |date=July 27, 2014 |access-date=September 12, 2017}}

By early 2015, Romney was considering the idea and contacting his network of supporters.{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/romney-tells-donors-he-is-considering-2016-white-house-bid-1420839312 |title=Romney Tells Donors He Is Considering 2016 White House Bid |first1=Patrick |last1=O'Connor |first2=Beth |last2=Reinhard |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=January 9, 2015}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romney-moves-to-reassemble-campaign-apparatus-for-2016/2015/01/12/d968592e-9a88-11e4-96cc-e858eba91ced_story.html |title=Romney moves to reassemble campaign team for 'almost certain' 2016 bid |first1=Robert |last1=Costa |first2=Philip |last2=Rucker |first3=Karen |last3=Tumulty |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 12, 2015}} In doing so he was positioning himself in the invisible primary – the preliminary jockeying for the backing of party leaders, donors, and political operatives – against former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who had already set a likely campaign in motion and would be a rival to Romney for establishment Republican support.{{cite news |first=Nate |last=Cohn |title=The G.O.P. Presidential Field Looks Chaotic. It's Not |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/10/upshot/-2015-04-10-2016-elections-upshot-the-gop-presidential-field-looks-chaotic-its-nothtml.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409192806/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/10/upshot/-2015-04-10-2016-elections-upshot-the-gop-presidential-field-looks-chaotic-its-nothtml.html |archive-date=April 9, 2015 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The New York Times |date=April 9, 2015 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} Despite support in some quarters for a third bid for the presidency, there was a backlash from conservatives who wanted a fresher face without a history of presidential losses,{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/mitt-romney-backlash-2016-elections-114275 |title=Mitt Romney backlash intensifies |first=Katie |last=Glueck |newspaper=Politico |date=January 15, 2015 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} and many of Romney's past donors were not willing to commit to him again.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/31/us/mitt-romney-2016-presidential-election.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150130170120/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/31/us/mitt-romney-2016-presidential-election.html |archive-date=January 30, 2015 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Support Waning, Romney Decides Against 2016 Bid |first1=Ashley |last1=Parker |first2=Jonathan |last2=Martin |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 30, 2015 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} On January 30, 2015, Romney announced that he would not run for president in 2016, saying that while he thought he could win the nomination, "one of our next generation of Republican leaders" would be better positioned to win the general election.{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-announces-he-will-not-run-for-president-in-2016/ |title=Romney announces he will not run for president in 2016 |work=Fox News |date=January 30, 2015 |access-date=January 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150130153813/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/01/30/2016-scramble-former-romney-backers-strategist-shifting-to-bush/ |first=Serafin |last=Gomez |archive-date=January 30, 2015 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/01/30/text-of-romneys-statement-on-decision-not-to-run-in-2016/ |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Text of Romney's Statement on Decision Not to Run in 2016 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=January 30, 2015}}

As the presidential election went into primary season, Romney had not endorsed anyone but was one of the Republican establishment figures who were becoming increasingly concerned about the front-runner status of New York businessman Donald Trump.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/us/politics/donald-trump-republican-party.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160227143425/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/us/politics/donald-trump-republican-party.html |archive-date=February 27, 2016 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |first1=Alexander |last1=Burns |first2=Maggie |last2=Haberman |author-link2=Maggie Haberman |first3=Jonathan |last3=Martin |title=Inside the Republican Party's Desperate Mission to Stop Donald Trump |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 27, 2016}} Romney publicly criticized Trump for not releasing his taxes, saying there might be a "bombshell" in them.{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-stands-by-trump-tax-criticism-though-offers-no-proof |title=Romney stands by Trump tax criticism, though offers no proof |first=Kelly |last=Vlahos |publisher=Fox News |date=February 25, 2016}} Trump responded by calling Romney "one of the dumbest and worst candidates in the history of Republican politics". In a March 3, 2016 speech at the Hinckley Institute of Politics, Romney made a scathing attack on Trump's personal behavior, business performance, and domestic and foreign policy stances. He called him a "con man" who relied on his father's loans{{Cite news |date=2016-03-03 |title=Transcript of Mitt Romney's Speech on Donald Trump |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/04/us/politics/mitt-romney-speech.html |access-date=August 10, 2024 |work=The New York Times}} and "a phony, a fraud", adding: "He's playing members of the American public for suckers. If we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished".{{cite news |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mitt-romney-frying-donald-trump-163100449.html |title=Mitt Romney fried Donald Trump in an epic speech |agency=Business Insider |publisher=Yahoo! Finance |date=March 3, 2016 |first=Allan |last=Smith |access-date=February 6, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=O'Keefe |first1=Ed |title=Mitt Romney slams 'phony' Trump: He's playing 'the American public for suckers' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/03/03/mitt-romney-trump-is-a-phony-a-fraud-who-is-playing-the-american-public-for-suckers/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} In response, Trump called Romney a "choke artist". Romney's speech represented an unprecedented attack by a major U.S. party's most recent presidential nominee against the party's current front-runner for the nomination.{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/04/politics/donald-trump-mitt-romney-republican-party/ |title=GOP at war with itself |first=Stephen |last=Collinson |work=CNN |date=March 5, 2016 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Benen |author-link=Steve Benen |url=https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/mitt-romney-picks-side-sort |title=Mitt Romney picks a side (sort of) |website=MSNBC |access-date=March 28, 2016 |date=March 21, 2016}}

File:President Trump Hosts a Listening Session (49118848461) (cropped).jpg Donald Trump during a White House listening session on the youth vaping and electronic cigarette epidemic in 2019.]]

Romney encouraged Republicans to engage in tactical voting, by supporting whichever of the remaining rivals had the best chance to beat Trump in any given state.{{cite news |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUKKCN0W50FF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105612/http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUKKCN0W50FF |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |title=Republican Romney calls Trump 'a fraud,' creates pathway to contested convention |first=Steve |last=Holland |work=Reuters |date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} As such, Romney announced he was voting for, although not endorsing, Ted Cruz for president in the March 22 Utah caucus.{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/18/politics/mitt-romney-ted-cruz-utah/ |title=Mitt Romney to vote for Ted Cruz in Utah |first=Theodore |last=Schleifer |work=CNN |date=March 19, 2016}} As the race went on, there was some evidence that tactical voting was occurring, and some partial arrangements were formed among candidates,{{cite news |url=https://time.com/4255838/donald-trump-marco-rubio-john-kasich/ |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title=Marco Rubio Says Ohio Should Vote Kasich to Stop Trump |first=Alex |last=Altman |magazine=Time |date=March 11, 2016}}{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2016/04/25/475607754/the-cruz-kasich-deal-will-their-alliance-against-trump-work |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title=The Cruz-Kasich Deal: Will Their Alliance Against Trump Work? |first=Scott |last=Detrow |work=NPR |date=April 25, 2016}} but by May 3, Trump had defeated all his opponents and became the party's presumptive nominee. Romney announced that he would not support Trump in the general election, saying, "I am dismayed at where we are now. I wish we had better choices."{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/mitt-romney-donald-trump-222881 |title=Romney says he won't back Trump |first=Hanna |last=Trudo |work=Politico |date=May 6, 2016 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}

In June, Romney said that he would not vote for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, saying: "It's a matter of personal conscience. I can't vote for either of those two people." He suggested that he might vote for a third-party candidate, or write in his wife's name, saying she would be "an ideal president". When pressed on which of Trump and Clinton was more qualified to be president, Romney quoted P. J. O'Rourke: "Hillary Clinton is wrong on every issue, but she's wrong within the normal parameters."{{cite web |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/06/mitt-romney-my-conscience-wont-allow-me-to-vote-for-donald-trump-or-hillary-clinton/489473/ |title=Mitt Romney: My Conscience Won't Allow Me to Vote for Trump or Clinton |first=Conor |last=Friedersdorf |publisher=The Atlantic |date=June 29, 2016 |access-date=November 13, 2016}}

Romney considered voting for the Libertarian ticket of former Republican governors Gary Johnson and Bill Weld (the latter, like Romney, also a former governor of Massachusetts), saying that he would "get to know Gary Johnson better and see if he's someone who I could end up voting for", adding that "if Bill Weld were at the top of the ticket, it would be very easy for me to vote for Bill Weld for president." In September, he called for Johnson to be included in the presidential debates{{cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/10/politics/mitt-romney-donald-trump-racism/ |title=Mitt Romney says Donald Trump will change America with 'trickle-down racism' |first=Theodore |last=Schleifer |work=CNN |date=June 11, 2016 |access-date=November 13, 2016}} and in October it emerged that Independent candidate Evan McMullin was using an email list of 2.5 million Romney supporters to raise money.{{cite web |url=https://www.deseret.com/2016/10/3/20597461/independent-presidential-candidate-evan-mcmullin-using-mitt-romney-email-list-to-raise-money |title=Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin using Mitt Romney email list to raise money |first=Lisa Riley |last=Roche |work=Deseret News |date=October 3, 2016 |access-date=November 13, 2016}} McMullin's chief strategist said that it was purchased from Romney for President and that "we'll let other folks discuss what that may mean and certainly never speak for [Romney]." A spokeswoman for Romney said that the list had been "rented by several political candidates in the presidential primary, and by countless other political and commercial users in the time since the 2012 campaign" and Romney made no public comment on McMullin's candidacy.{{cite web |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/mitt-romney-has-cast-his-ballot-but-hasnt-revealed-whom-he-voted-for-2016-11 |title=Mitt Romney has cast his ballot – but hasn't revealed whom he voted for |first=Mark |last=Abadi |work=Business Insider UK |date=November 2, 2016 |access-date=November 13, 2016}} Romney and his wife cast early ballots in Utah, but he declined to say who he voted for. In May 2018, Romney revealed that he had cast a write-in vote for his wife Ann.{{cite web |url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900020076/mitt-romney-reveals-his-2016-presidential-vote.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180531190819/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900020076/mitt-romney-reveals-his-2016-presidential-vote.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 31, 2018 |title=Mitt Romney reveals his 2016 presidential vote |first=Dennis |last=Romboy |publisher=Deseret News |date=May 30, 2018 |access-date=February 24, 2019}}

After Trump won the election, Romney congratulated him by phone and on Twitter.{{cite web |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2016/11/13/mitt-romney-called-to-congratulate-donald-trump-on-his-election-night-win |title=Mitt Romney called to congratulate Donald Trump on his election night win |first=Nik |last=DeCosta-Klipa |publisher=Boston.com |date=November 13, 2016 |access-date=November 13, 2016}} On November 19, Romney met with him at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, reportedly to discuss the position of Secretary of State,{{Cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-romney-meet-for-far-reaching-conversation-after-lobbing-shots-during-campaign |title=Trump meets with Romney, secretary of state job to potentially be discussed |date=November 19, 2016 |newspaper=Fox News |language=en-US |access-date=November 19, 2016}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/us/politics/donald-trump-mitt-romney-secretary-state.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120001231/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/us/politics/donald-trump-mitt-romney-secretary-state.html |archive-date=November 20, 2016 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title=Trump Meets with Romney as He Starts to Look Outside His Inner Circle |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 19, 2016 |first1=Michael S. |last1=Schmidt |first2=Julie |last2=Hirschfeld |author1-link=Michael S. Schmidt}} which ultimately went to Rex Tillerson.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/12/us/politics/rex-tillerson-secretary-of-state-trump.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213033742/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/12/us/politics/rex-tillerson-secretary-of-state-trump.html |archive-date=December 13, 2016 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Rex Tillerson, Exxon C.E.O., Chosen as Secretary of State |first1=Michael D. |last1=Shear |first2=Maggie |last2=Haberman |work=The New York Times |date=December 12, 2016 |access-date=January 2, 2017}} In February 2017, Romney said that Trump was "off to a very strong start" in fulfilling his campaign promises, although he had "no regrets" about his anti-Trump speech.{{cite news |last1=Chasmar |first1=Jessica |title=Mitt Romney: Donald Trump 'off to a very strong start' |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/6/mitt-romney-trump-off-to-a-very-strong-start/ |access-date=February 6, 2017 |work=The Washington Times |date=February 6, 2017}} The next year, Trump endorsed Romney's 2018 senate campaign.{{cite news |last1=Watkins |first1=Eli |title=Trump endorses Mitt Romney for Senate |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/19/politics/mitt-romney-donald-trump-utah/index.html |access-date=February 20, 2018 |work=CNN |date=February 19, 2018}}

{{Main|2018 United States Senate election in Utah}}

File:Swearing in of Mitt Romney.jpg]]

September and October 2017 press reports said that should U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch retire, Romney would run for that seat in 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2017/09/11/poll-mitt-romney-would-handily-win-utahs-senate-seat-if-hatch-doesnt-run/ |title=Mitt Romney is considering a Senate run if Orrin Hatch retires, and a new poll shows he'd likely win – The Salt Lake Tribune |publisher=Sltrib.com |date=March 15, 2013 |access-date=September 12, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/10/hatch-romney/544211/ |title=Orrin Hatch Tells Friends He Plans to Retire |publisher=The Atlantic |date=October 27, 2017 |access-date=December 7, 2017}} On January 2, 2018, after Hatch announced that he would retire, Romney changed his Twitter location from Massachusetts to Holladay, Utah, contributing to speculation that he was considering a Senate campaign.{{cite news |title=Romney Changes Location on Twitter as Utah Senate Seat Opens |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-02/romney-changes-location-on-twitter-as-utah-senate-seat-opens |author=Kapur, Sahil |date=January 2, 2018 |publisher=Bloomberg News |access-date=January 2, 2018}} On February 16, 2018, Romney formally launched his campaign with a video message posted on Facebook and Twitter.{{cite web |last1=Reston |first1=Maeve |title=Romney announces US Senate run |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/16/politics/mitt-romney-senate-utah/index.html |website=CNN |date=February 16, 2018 |access-date=February 16, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/02/16/mitt-romney-officially-running-u-s-senate/344415002/ |title=Mitt Romney is officially running for U.S. Senate |author=Rossman, Sean |work=USA Today |date=December 11, 2019 |access-date=September 4, 2020}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/02/16/mitt-romney-former-presidential-nominee-announces-his-bid-for-utahs-us-senate-seat/ |title=Mitt Romney outlines policies to cap his first day of campaigning for Utah's soon-to-be-open U.S. Senate seat |website=The Salt Lake Tribune}}

At the state Republican nominating convention held on April 21, 2018, Romney received 1,585 delegate votes (49.1%), finishing second to State Representative Mike Kennedy, with 1,642 delegate votes (50.9%). Since neither Romney nor Kennedy garnered the 60% of delegate votes necessary to claim the endorsement, they competed in a June 26 primary election.{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/21/politics/romney-utah-gop-convention/index.html |title=Mitt Romney fails to secure Utah GOP nomination, will face primary |last=Reston |first=Maeve |website=CNN |date=April 21, 2018 |access-date=June 27, 2018}} In the primary, Romney defeated Kennedy, 71.7–28.3%.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/26/us/elections/results-utah-primary-elections-ul.html |title=Utah Primary Election Results |work=The New York Times |date=June 26, 2018 |access-date=June 27, 2018}}

Romney was elected U.S. Senator from Utah on November 6, defeating Democratic nominee Jenny Wilson, 62.6% to 30.9%.{{Citation |last=Romboy |first=Dennis |title=What can Utah, U.S. expect from Mitt Romney in the Senate? |newspaper=Deseret News |date=November 7, 2018 |url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900040899/what-can-utah-us-expect-from-mitt-romney-in-the-senate.html |access-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-date=November 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108012133/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900040899/what-can-utah-us-expect-from-mitt-romney-in-the-senate.html |url-status=dead}}

With his election, Romney became the third person to have served as governor of one state and senator from another state.{{cite web |url=http://editions.lib.umn.edu/smartpolitics/2017/09/14/mitt-romney-prepares-for-unusual-us-senate-bid/ |title=Mitt Romney Prepares for Unusual US Senate Bid {{!}} Smart Politics |website=editions.lib.umn.edu |language=en-CA |access-date=April 1, 2018 |date=September 14, 2017}} (The other two were William W. Bibb, who served as a U.S. senator from Georgia and then the first governor of Alabama, and Sam Houston, who was the sixth governor of Tennessee before becoming a U.S. senator from Texas.)

File:Biden meets with Republican senators on COVID relief.png Joe Biden to discuss COVID-19 relief in February 2021.]]

Shortly before assuming office, Romney wrote a Washington Post editorial strongly criticizing Trump's character.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46734423 |title=Trump caused worldwide dismay – Romney |date=January 2, 2019 |work=BBC News |access-date=January 2, 2019}} Ronna McDaniel, Romney's niece and the chair of the Republican National Committee, called his comments "disappointing and unproductive", while Trump wrote that he "[w]ould much prefer that Mitt focus on Border Security and so many other things where he can be helpful".{{Cite news |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/423477-rnc-chair-slams-her-uncle-mitt-romney-for-trump-criticism/ |last=Wise |first=Justin |title=RNC chair slams her uncle Mitt Romney for Trump criticism |date=January 2, 2019 |work=The Hill |access-date=January 2, 2019}} By November 9, 2019, Romney was just one of three Republican senators, along with Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who declined to co-sponsor a resolution opposing the impeachment inquiry process into Trump.{{Cite web |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/467842-murkowski-collins-say-they-wont-co-sponsor-grahams-impeachment-resolution/ |title=Murkowski, Collins say they won't co-sponsor Graham's impeachment resolution |last=Carney |first=Jordain |date=October 28, 2019 |website=The Hill |language=en |access-date=November 10, 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/only-3-senate-republicans-aren-t-defending-trump-impeachment-inquiry-n1078906 |title=Only 3 Senate Republicans aren't defending Trump from the impeachment inquiry. Here's why. |website=NBC News |last=Edelman |first=Adam |date=November 9, 2019 |language=en |access-date=November 10, 2019}} He was one of two Republicans (with Collins) who joined all Democrats voting to allow impeachment witnesses.{{Cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/31/murkowski-to-vote-against-calling-witnesses-in-impeachment-trial-109997 |title=Republicans defeat Democratic bid to hear witnesses in Trump trial |website=Politico |date=January 31, 2020 |language=en |access-date=January 31, 2020}}

Romney condemned the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings, saying: "As we celebrate the miracle of Easter, we hold in our hearts the victims of the senseless violence in Sri Lanka and their loved ones."{{cite news |title=Utah faith, political leaders mourn deadly toll in Sri Lankan bombings |url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900066934/utah-faith-political-leaders-mourn-deadly-toll-in-sri-lankan-bombings.html |work=Deseret News |author=Knox, Annie |date=April 21, 2019 |access-date=April 25, 2019 |archive-date=April 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425103317/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900066934/utah-faith-political-leaders-mourn-deadly-toll-in-sri-lankan-bombings.html |url-status=dead}}

After many called for Representative George Santos to step down after being investigated by the House Ethics Committee, Romney confronted Santos during President Biden's 2023 State of the Union Address, saying he "shouldn't be in Congress".{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64572021 |title=Romney to Santos: 'You don't belong here' |website=BBC News |date=February 8, 2023 |language=en |access-date=February 8, 2023}}

In the October 2019 issue of The Atlantic, Romney revealed that he used a secret Twitter account to keep tabs on political conversation there, saying, "What do they call me, a lurker?"{{cite news |last=Coppins |first=Mckay |author-link=McKay Coppins |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/10/mitt-romney-middle-impeachment-fight/600373/ |title=The Liberation of Mitt Romney |work=The Atlantic |date=October 20, 2019 |access-date=October 21, 2019}} Shortly thereafter, Slate found a Twitter account with the name Pierre Delecto. The account was registered in July 2011, followed about 700 people, and had eight followers at the time it was discovered. It had tweeted 10 times, always in reply to other tweets. The next day, Romney confirmed ownership of the account.{{cite news |last=Feinberg |first=Ashley |author-link=Ashley Feinberg |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/10/mitt-romney-has-a-secret-twitter-account-and-it-sure-looks-like-its-this-one.html |title=This Sure Looks Like Mitt Romney's Secret Twitter Account (Update: It Is) |work=Slate |date=October 20, 2019 |access-date=October 21, 2019}}{{Cite news |first=Domenico |last=Montanaro |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/10/21/771873287/mitt-romney-pierre-delecto-and-the-strategy-of-anonymously-criticizing-trump |title=Mitt Romney, 'Pierre Delecto' and the Strategy of Anonymously Criticizing Trump |date=October 21, 2019 |publisher=NPR |access-date=October 22, 2019}}

File:FULL REMARKS -- Senator Mitt Romney to vote to convict President Trump on Abuse of Power.webm

On February 5, 2020, after Romney read a prepared text on the Senate floor decrying "corrupting an election to keep oneself in office" as "perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one's oath of office that I can imagine",{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/with-his-vote-to-convict-trump-on-abuse-of-power-romney-will-break-with-his-party--and-awaits-the-consequences/2020/02/05/a76dce74-4841-11ea-ab15-b5df3261b710_story.html |title=Romney to vote to convict Trump on impeachment charge of abuse of power, becoming the first Republican to break ranks |last=Balz |first=Dan |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=February 5, 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/02/romney-impeach-trump/606127/ |title=How Mitt Romney Decided Trump Is Guilty |last=Coppins |first=McKay |author-link=McKay Coppins |website=The Atlantic |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=February 5, 2020}} he broke ranks with the Republican majority as the sole Republican senator to vote to convict Trump in his first impeachment trial,{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/impeachment-vote.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205161013/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/impeachment-vote.html |archive-date=February 5, 2020 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Trump Impeachment Trial |work=The New York Times |date=February 5, 2020}} thereby becoming, according to press reports, the first U.S. senator in United States history to vote to convict a president of the same political party.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/trump-acquitted-impeachment.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205214033/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/trump-acquitted-impeachment.html |archive-date=February 5, 2020 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Trump Acquitted of Two Impeachment Charges in Near Party-Line Vote |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 5, 2020 |last1=Fandos |first1=Nicholas}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-expected-to-vote-to-acquit-trump-on-impeachment-11580908525 |title=Senate Acquits Trump on Both Impeachment Articles |work=The Wall Street Journal |first1=Rebecca |first2=Natalie |last1=Ballhaus |last2=Andrews |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=September 4, 2020}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/05/senate-impeachment-trial-mitt-romney-votes-remove-president-trump/4669734002/ |title='Appalling abuse': Sen. Mitt Romney votes to convict President Trump on abuse of power charge |first1=Ledyard |first2=Maureen |first3=Nicholas |last1=King |last2=Groppe |last3=Wu |website=USA Today}}

Fallout from the vote included Romney's being formally censured by various Republican organizations outside of Utah; in comparison, anger against Romney among Republicans within Utah was more muted, and his impeachment vote, according to opinion polling, was supported by Utah Democrats.{{Cite web |last=Romboy |first=Dennis |date=February 11, 2020 |title=New poll shows most Utahns pleased with Mitt Romney's vote, but 60% of GOP has negative reaction |url=https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/2/11/21133232/mitt-romney-donald-trump-mitt-impeachment-split-deseret-news-hinckley-poll-convict-divided |access-date=June 4, 2020 |website=Deseret News |language=en}} Jason Perry, director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics, said, "Democrats in Utah were more excited about Mitt Romney's vote than [Utah] Republicans were disappointed."{{Cite web |title=Can a Republican take on Trump and survive? Mitt Romney is proving it's possible. |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/can-a-republican-take-on-trump-and-survive-mitt-romney-is-proving-it-s-possible/ar-BB105SAq |access-date=June 4, 2020 |website=www.msn.com}} Republicans for the Rule of Law ran various ads thanking Romney.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Martin |date=February 7, 2020 |title=New ad campaign by GOP group: Thank you, Romney |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/481997-new-campaign-by-gop-group-thank-you-sen-romney/ |access-date=June 4, 2020 |website=The Hill |language=en}}{{cite web |url=https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article240206057.html |title='We stand with Mitt.' Crowdfunded Utah billboard backs Romney's Trump impeachment vote |author=Gilmour, Jared |website=McClatchyDC |date=February 11, 2020 |access-date=September 4, 2020}}{{Cite web |last=Forgie |first=Adam |date=February 11, 2020 |title='We Stand with Mitt': Student Republicans of Utah crowdfund billboard |url=https://kutv.com/news/local/we-stand-with-mitt-student-republicans-of-utah-crowdfund-billboard |access-date=June 4, 2020 |website=KUTV}}

On June 7, 2020, in response to the murder of George Floyd and the worldwide protests against police brutality, Romney became the first Republican senator to participate in a protest alongside Black Lives Matter.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitt-romney-marches-black-lives-matter-protest-washington-dc/ |title=Mitt Romney marches with Black Lives Matter protesters, becoming first GOP senator to join them |author=Brito, Cristopher |date=June 8, 2020 |website=CBS News |access-date=June 8, 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/06/08/president-trump-mocks/ |title=President Trump mocks Utah Sen. Mitt Romney for marching with Black Lives Matter protesters |website=Salt Lake Tribune |access-date=June 8, 2020}} He said, "We need many voices against racism and against brutality, and we need to make sure that people understand that Black Lives Matter."{{cite web |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/06/mitt-romney-black-lives-matter/612808/ |title=Why Romney Marched |author=Coppins, McKay |author-link=McKay Coppins |date=June 8, 2020 |website=The Atlantic |access-date=June 8, 2020}} This act drew praise and admiration from the left and right, with some Republicans questioning why other congressional Republicans were not showing support for the movement. On Twitter, Senator Kamala Harris praised Romney's actions, saying, "We need more of this."{{cite web |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/mitt-romney-black-lives-matter-march-washington |title='Black Lives Matter,' Tweets Mitt Romney as He Joins a Protest March in Washington |author=Emmrich, Stuart |date=June 8, 2020 |website=Vogue |access-date=June 8, 2020}} Trump mocked Romney, saying, "Tremendous sincerity, what a guy. Hard to believe, with this kind of political talent, his numbers would 'tank' so badly in Utah!"{{cite web |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-trump-mitt-romney-george-floyd-protest-20200608-4xw6rxvtibaefmqge4a23uomhm-story.html |title=Trump sarcastically cheers 'what a guy' Mitt Romney for joining George Floyd protest march |author=Goldiner, Dave |date=June 8, 2020 |website=New York Daily News |access-date=June 8, 2020}}

{{Main|2020 United States presidential election}}

Romney did not endorse Trump's 2020 reelection campaign and told reporters that he did not vote for him.{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/21/politics/mitt-romney-trump-vote/index.html |title=Mitt Romney says he did not vote for Trump in the 2020 election |author=Raju, Manu |author2=LeBlanc, Paul |author-link=Manu Raju |date=June 8, 2020 |website=CNN |access-date=October 21, 2020}} In a Washington Post op-ed, Romney wrote that Trump "has not risen to the mantle of the office".{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/01/us/politics/romney-trump-oped.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102043353/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/01/us/politics/romney-trump-oped.html |archive-date=January 2, 2019 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Mitt Romney Says Trump 'Has Not Risen to the Mantle of the Office' |author=Mervosh, Sarah |date=January 1, 2019 |website=The New York Times |access-date=October 21, 2020}} After the victory of Joe Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, Romney was the first Republican senator to extend his congratulations to them.{{Cite tweet |user=MittRomney |number=1325142815354064896 |date=November 7, 2020 |title=Ann and I extend our congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. We know both of them as people of good will and admirable character. We pray that God may bless them in the days and years ahead.}}

{{Main|January 6 United States Capitol attack}}

File:Senator Mitt Romney pays tribute to Officer Brian Sicknick.jpg.]]

On the morning of January 5, 2021, Romney was heckled and harassed at the airport on his way to Washington, D.C., to certify Joe Biden's election win in the Senate. Cellphone footage of the incident showed Trump supporters accusing Romney of not supporting Trump's baseless claims of election fraud, and chanting "Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!" as Romney boarded his flight.{{cite web |title=Trump supporters accost Mitt Romney on a plane and call him a 'traitor' for refusing to back the president's efforts to overturn the election |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-supporters-accost-romney-airport-plane-fraud-claims-video-2021-1 |access-date=January 7, 2021 |website=Business Insider}}{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-01-06/romney-heckled-in-airport-in-another-show-of-gop-divisions |title=Romney Heckled in Airport in Another Show of GOP Divisions |website=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=January 8, 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/01/romney-harass-heckle-airport-salt-lake-city-flight-electoral-college-certification.html |title=Trump Supporters Heckle Mitt Romney on Flight to D.C. for Electoral College Certification |website=Slate.com |access-date=January 8, 2021}}

On the morning of January 6, protesters assembled at the "Save America" rally on the Ellipse, where Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani, and several members of Congress addressed the crowd fueling the conspiracy theories about election fraud.{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/seeks-prevent-certification-election-trump-plans-attend-dc/story?id=75042176 |title=As he seeks to prevent certification of election, Trump plans to attend DC rally |publisher=ABA News |first1=Katherine |last1=Faulders |first2=John |last2=Santucci |date=January 5, 2021 |access-date=January 7, 2021 |archive-date=January 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107164258/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/seeks-prevent-certification-election-trump-plans-attend-dc/story?id=75042176 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/photos-trump-rallies-crowds-of-supporters-in-nations-capital/2531368/ |title=Trump Supporters Gather, President Incites Chaos in DC |publisher=NBC |first=Anisa |last=Holmes |date=January 6, 2021 |access-date=January 7, 2021 |archive-date=January 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107164256/https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/photos-trump-rallies-crowds-of-supporters-in-nations-capital/2531368/ |url-status=live}}President Donald Trump, {{YouTube|tRKRW-4Dt3s|ABC News Prime: Call for Trump's removal, Capitol Hill security failure, Global reaction to riots}}, ABC News, January 8, 2021, minutes 10:55–11:06. Trump said, "We will never give up, we will never concede. You don't concede when there's theft", and encouraged his supporters to "fight like hell" to "take back our country" and to march to the Capitol.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2021/jan/06/georgia-election-latest-news-senate-ossoff-warnock-democrats-republicans-trump-biden |title=Schumer calls pro-Trump mob 'domestic terrorists' as Senate resumes election certification – live |last1=McCarthy |first1=Tom |last2=Ho |first2=Vivian |last3=Greve |first3=Joan E. |date=January 7, 2021 |work=The Guardian |access-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106230506/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2021/jan/06/georgia-election-latest-news-senate-ossoff-warnock-democrats-republicans-trump-biden |url-status=live}} Later that day, while the Senate was in session certifying the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count within the United States Capitol, hundreds of Trump supporters violently attacked the Capitol, where they looted senators' offices and broke into the chamber of the United States Senate. Police evacuated the senators and Vice President Mike Pence to an undisclosed area. As they were evacuating Romney, he yelled at Ted Cruz and other Republican congressmen, "This is what you've gotten, guys!"{{cite magazine |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/01/trump-supporters-storm-the-us-capitol-washington-dc |title=Trump supporters storm the US Capitol |magazine=Vanity Fair |access-date=January 7, 2021}} According to New York Times reporter Jonathan Martin, Romney told him with "fury in his voice", "{{em|This}} is what the president has caused today, this insurrection!"{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532955-romney-trump-caused-this-insurrection/ |title=Romney: Trump caused 'this insurrection' |website=The Hill |access-date=January 7, 2021}} Romney fully rebuked Trump and condemned the actions of the attackers. Later that night, when Congress had reconvened, Romney said on the Senate floor:

{{blockquote|We gather today due to a selfish man's injured pride and the outrage of his supporters whom he has deliberately misinformed for the past two months and stirred to action this very morning{{nbsp}}... Those who choose to continue to support his dangerous gambit by objecting to the results of a legitimate, democratic election will forever be seen as being complicit in an unprecedented attack against our democracy{{nbsp}}... They will be remembered for their role in this shameful episode in American history. That will be their legacy…The best way we can show respect for the voters who are upset is by telling them the truth! That is the burden, and the duty, of leadership. The truth is that President-elect Biden won the election. President Trump lost. I've had that experience myself. It's no fun.{{cite web |url=https://www.newsweek.com/mitt-romney-rips-pro-trump-insurrection-condemns-colleagues-attempts-overturn-election-1559518 |title=Mitt Romney Rips Pro-Trump 'Insurrection,' Condemns Colleagues' Attempts to Overturn Election |website=Newsweek |access-date=January 7, 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2021/01/07/mitt-romney-riot-violence-reaction-capitol-certification-sot-vpx.cnn |title=Sen. Romney: This was 'an insurrection incited by the President' |website=CNN |access-date=January 7, 2020}}}}On February 10, 2021, new video was released during Trump's second impeachment trial that showed capitol police officer Eugene Goodman saving Romney from running into the Capitol rioters.{{cite news |last=McLeod |first=Paul |date=February 10, 2021 |title=New Impeachment Video Shows Officer Eugene Goodman Saving Mitt Romney From Running Into Capitol Rioters |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/paulmcleod/impeachment-video-eugene-goodman-mitt-romney-pence |access-date=February 12, 2021 |work=BuzzFeed News}} During a break in the hearing, Romney said, "It was very troubling seeing the great violence the capitol police were subjected to. It tears at your heart and brings tears to your eyes. It was overwhelmingly distressing and emotional." Romney also said he didn't know how close he was and didn't know it had been Goodman who diverted him away from the rioters, but that he looked forward to thanking Goodman.{{cite web |title=Live: Day 2 of the Second Impeachment Trial of Donald Trump |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVJnqRvCj90 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211005226/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVJnqRvCj90 |archive-date=February 11, 2021 |access-date=February 10, 2021 |website=NBC News}}

On May 27, 2021, along with five other Republicans and all present Democrats, Romney voted to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 attack. The vote failed for lack of 60 required "yes" votes.[https://www.rollcall.com/2021/05/28/republican-senators-torpedo-jan-6-commission/ Republican senators torpedo Jan. 6 commission], Roll Call, Chris Marquette, May 28, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.

{{main|Second impeachment of Donald Trump}}

On January 13, 2021, the House voted to impeach Trump a second time for incitement of insurrection.{{cite news |last1=Fandos |first1=Nicholas |author-link=Nicholas Fandos |title=Trump Impeached for Inciting Insurrection |website=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/13/us/politics/trump-impeached.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/13/us/politics/trump-impeached.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited |access-date=January 29, 2021 |date=January 13, 2021}}{{cbignore}} On January 26, Republican senator Rand Paul of Kentucky introduced a motion to dismiss the impeachment charge. The objection was defeated on a 55–45 vote; Romney was one of the five Republicans to vote against it, along with Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Ben Sasse and Pat Toomey.{{cite web |first=Nicholas |last=Fandos |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/26/us/biden-trump-impeachment#impeachment-charge-senate |title=Republicans vote en masse against trying Trump, signaling he is likely to be acquitted of the impeachment charge |work=The New York Times |date=January 26, 2021 |access-date=January 29, 2021}}

On February 13, 2021, Romney and five other Republican senators voted to allow other witnesses in the impeachment trial. Republican senator and Trump ally Ron Johnson, who was "visibly upset", got in a heated exchange with Romney for his vote, saying, "We never should've had this impeachment trial."{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/13/johnson-romney-impeachment-witnesses-468991 |title='Blame you': Johnson and Romney get heated after vote for impeachment witnesses |website=Politico |first=Ben |last=Leonard |date=February 13, 2021 |access-date=February 13, 2021}} Later that day Romney voted to convict Trump for the second time along with six of his Republican colleagues. The final vote was 57 to convict and 43 to acquit. He wrote a statement that read in part:

{{blockquote|President Trump attempted to corrupt the election by pressuring the Secretary of State of Georgia to falsify the election results in his state. President Trump incited the insurrection against Congress by using the power of his office to summon his supporters to Washington on January 6th and urging them to march on the Capitol during the counting of electoral votes. He did this despite the obvious and well known threats of violence that day. President Trump also violated his oath of office by failing to protect the Capitol, the Vice President, and others in the Capitol. Each and every one of these conclusions compels me to support conviction.{{cite web |url=https://www.romney.senate.gov/romney-statement-impeachment-vote |title=Romney Statement on Impeachment Vote |website=romney.senate.gov |date=February 13, 2021 |access-date=February 13, 2021}}}}

During the 117th Congress, Romney sat on the following committees:{{Cite web |title=U.S. Senate: Committee Assignments of the 117th Congress |url=https://www.senate.gov/general/committee_assignments/assignments.htm#RomneyUT |access-date=March 8, 2021 |website=www.senate.gov}}

• Committee on Foreign Relations
• Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific and International Cybersecurity Policy (Ranking Member)
• Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation
• Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism
• Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
• Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight
• Subcommittee on Governmental Operations and Border Management
• Committee on Budget (2021–present)
• Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
• Subcommittee on Children and Families
• Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety

{{Further|Political positions of Mitt Romney}}

File:P112912PS-0444 - President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney in the Oval Office - crop.jpg after the 2012 presidential election.|alt=Romney and Obama shaking hands]]

{{conservatism US|politicians}}

In addition to calling for cuts in federal government spending to help reduce the national debt, Romney proposed measures intended to limit the growth of entitlement programs, such as introducing means testing and gradually raising the eligibility ages for receipt of Social Security and Medicare.{{cite news |last=Jennings |first=Natalie |title=Mitt Romney speaks to Detroit Economic Club |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/mitt-romney-speaks-to-the-detroit-economic-club-live-video/2012/02/24/gIQAX5vxXR_blog.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 24, 2012}} He supported substantial increases in military spending and promised to invest more heavily in military weapons programs while increasing the number of active-duty military personnel.{{cite news |last=Riley |first=Charles |title=Defense spending to spike $2.1 trillion under Romney |url=https://money.cnn.com/2012/05/10/news/economy/romney-defense-spending/ |work=CNN |date=May 10, 2012}}{{cite web |title=Romney to Legion: I will not cut defense |url=https://www.legion.org/news/211310/romney-legion-i-will-not-cut-defense |work=American Legion |date=July 19, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} He was very supportive of the directions taken by the budget proposals of Paul Ryan, though he later proposed his own budget plan.{{cite news |last=Burns |first=Alexander |title=Romney endorses Ryan budget |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/03/romney-endorses-ryan-budget-118079 |newspaper=Politico |date=March 20, 2012}}{{cite news |last=Landler |first=Mark |title=Budget author, a Romney ally, turns into campaign focus |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/05/us/politics/ryan-architect-of-gop-budget-in-election-focus.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405183234/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/05/us/politics/ryan-architect-of-gop-budget-in-election-focus.html |archive-date=April 5, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The New York Times |date=April 4, 2012}}

Romney pledged to lead an effort to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") and replace it with a system that gives states more control over Medicaid and makes health insurance premiums tax-advantaged for individuals in the same way they are for businesses.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-xpm-2012-mar-23-la-pn-romney-healthcare-anniversary-20120323-story.html |title=Romney vows to repeal and replace 'Obamacare' on law's anniversary |first=Alana |last=Semuels |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=March 23, 2012}} He favored repeal of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Sarbanes–Oxley Act and intended to replace them with what he called a "streamlined, modern regulatory framework".{{cite news |last=Riley |first=Charles |title=JPMorgan and the politics of financial reform |url=https://money.cnn.com/2012/05/11/news/economy/politics-jpmorgan-regulation/ |publisher=CNN |date=May 12, 2012}}{{cite news |last=Lerer |first=Lisa |title=Romney calls for caution on regulations after JPMorgan loss |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-16/romney-says-regulators-must-be-cautious-after-jp-morgan-loss.html |publisher=Bloomberg |date=May 17, 2012}}

He also promised to seek income tax law changes that he said would help to lower federal deficits and would stimulate economic growth. These included reducing individual income tax rates across the board by 20%, maintaining the Bush administration-era tax rate of 15% on investment income from dividends and capital gains (and eliminating this tax entirely for those with annual incomes less than $200,000), cutting the top tax rate on corporations from 35% to 25%, and eliminating the estate tax and the Alternative Minimum Tax.{{cite news |last=Romney |first=Mitt |title=Mitt Romney delivers remarks in Detroit, Michigan |url=http://www.mittromney.com/blogs/mitts-view/2012/02/mitt-romney-delivers-remarks-detroit-michigan |access-date=August 10, 2012 |publisher=MittRomney.com |date=February 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224235218/http://mittromney.com/blogs/mitts-view/2012/02/mitt-romney-delivers-remarks-detroit-michigan |archive-date=February 24, 2012}}{{cite news |last=Riley |first=Charles |title=Mitt Romney's plan to cut your taxes |url=https://money.cnn.com/2012/02/22/news/economy/romney_taxes/index.htm |publisher=CNN |date=February 22, 2012}} He promised that the loss of government revenue from these tax cuts would be offset by closing loopholes and placing limits on tax deductions and credits available to taxpayers with the highest incomes, but said that that aspect of the plan could not yet be evaluated because details would have to be worked out with Congress.{{cite news |last=Easley |first=Jonathan |title=Romney says his tax plan 'can't be scored' because it lacks details |url=https://thehill.com/policy/finance/108001-romney-says-his-tax-plan-cant-be-scored-because-it-lacks-details/ |newspaper=The Hill |date=March 7, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309213220/http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/801-economy/214647-romney-says-his-tax-plan-cant-be-scored-because-it-lacks-details |archive-date=March 9, 2012}}

File:Mitt Romney and Amy Coney Barrett.jpg's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett]]

Romney opposed the use of mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions to deal with global warming. He stated that he believed climate change is occurring, but that he did not know how much of it could be linked to human activity. He was a proponent of increased domestic oil drilling, hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"), building more nuclear power plants, and reducing the regulatory authority of the Environmental Protection Agency.{{cite news |last1=Mufson |first1=Steven |last2=Eilperin |first2=Juliet |title=Romney energy plan shows candidate's changing views, draws questions on job claims |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/romney-energy-plan-shows-changing-views-draws-questions-about-job-claims/2012/06/08/gJQAnPANOV_story_2.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 8, 2012}}{{cite news |last=Huisenga |first=Sarah |title=Romney goes after Obama on fracking |url-status=dead |url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/2012-presidential-campaign/romney-goes-after-obama-on-fracking-20120405 |newspaper=National Journal |date=April 5, 2012 |access-date=August 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730094816/http://www.nationaljournal.com/2012-presidential-campaign/romney-goes-after-obama-on-fracking-20120405 |archive-date=July 30, 2012}} He believed North American energy independence could be achieved by 2020.{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/123382-romneys-campaign-seeks-energy-jolt-ahead-of-tampa-gop-convention/ |title=Romney's campaign seeks energy jolt ahead of Tampa GOP convention |newspaper=The Hill |date=August 25, 2012 |first=Ben |last=Geman}}

Romney called Russia America's "number one geopolitical foe",{{cite news |url=https://news.yahoo.com/mitt-romney-says-russia-no-1-geopolitical-foe-214249733--abc-news.html |title=Mitt Romney Says Russia Is No. 1 Geopolitical Foe |first=Emily |last=Friedman |work=ABC News |date=March 26, 2012}} a position many ridiculed him for, including former secretary of state Madeleine Albright,{{Cite web |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/election2012/madeleine-albright-dismisses-romney-s-foreign-policy-speech-as-light-on-ideas |title=Madeleine Albright Dismisses Romney's Foreign Policy Speech As Light On Ideas |date=October 8, 2012 |website=Talking Points Memo |first=Evan |last=McMorris-Santoro}} who later publicly apologized to him.{{Cite web |url=https://www.newsweek.com/mitt-romney-russia-putin-madeleine-albright-1344831 |title=Madeleine Albright apologizes to Mitt Romney for underestimating Putin: "We forget we're dealing with a KGB agent" |date=February 26, 2019 |website=Newsweek |first=Cristina |last=Maza}} He has asserted that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear capability should be America's "highest national security priority".{{cite news |first=Joshua |last=Mitnik |title=Romney's Israel speech: Iran will be 'highest national security priority' |newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor |date=July 29, 2012}} Romney stated his strong support for Israel.{{cite news |first=Ayhan |last=Simsek |url=https://www.dw.com/en/turkey-watching-us-elections-closely/a-16341914 |title=Turkey watching US elections closely |publisher=Deutsche Welle |date=October 30, 2012}} He planned to formally label China a currency manipulator and take associated counteractions unless China changed its trade practices.{{cite web |url=https://www.ontheissues.org/Mitt_Romney.htm |title=Mitt Romney on the Issues |publisher=Ontheissues.org |access-date=June 13, 2010}} Romney supported the Patriot Act,{{cite news |last=Lorentzen |first=Amy |title=Romney backs interrogation, Patriot Act |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2007-07-20-3000222386_x.htm |newspaper=USA Today |date=July 20, 2007}} the continued operation of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, and use of enhanced interrogation techniques against suspected terrorists. He described same-sex marriage as a "state issue" while running for Senate in 1994 and opposed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in 2002.{{Cite news |url=https://www.politifact.com/article/2007/oct/05/romneys-nuances-gay-issues/ |first1=Miranda |last1=Blue |first2=Ryan |last2=Kelly |title=Romney's nuances on gay issues |work=PolitiFact |access-date=May 22, 2018 |date=October 5, 2007}} Romney opposed same-sex marriage and civil unions, but favored domestic partnership legislation that gives certain legal rights to same-sex couples, such as hospital visitation.{{cite news |last=Barbaro |first=Michael |title=Romney reaffirms opposition to marriage, or civil unions, for gay couples |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/us/politics/romney-reaffirms-opposition-to-marriage-or-similar-for-gay-couples.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510010928/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/us/politics/romney-reaffirms-opposition-to-marriage-or-similar-for-gay-couples.html |archive-date=May 10, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 9, 2012}} In 2011, he signed a pledge promising to seek passage of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.{{cite news |last=Montopoli |first=Brian |title=Mitt Romney pledges opposition to gay marriage |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitt-romney-pledges-opposition-to-gay-marriage/ |url-status=live |work=CBS News |date=August 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923122857/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20088274-503544.html |archive-date=September 23, 2011}} In 2022, Romney reversed his previous position on federal marriage, and was one of 12 Republicans voting to advance legislation to codify same-sex marriage into federal law by voting for the Respect for Marriage Act.{{Cite web |last=Turner |first=Trish |title=Historic same-sex marriage bill advances in Senate |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senate-poised-pass-historic-sex-interracial-marriage-bill/story?id=93293889 |access-date=November 18, 2022 |website=ABC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=LeVine |first=Marianne |title=Same-sex marriage protections clear critical Senate hurdle |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/16/same-sex-marriage-bill-senate-gop-support-00067104 |access-date=November 18, 2022 |website=Politico |date=November 16, 2022 |language=en}}

File:Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv-Yafo, October 2023 (GPOHZ0 1847).jpg with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv during the Gaza war on October 15, 2023]]

Since 2005, Romney has described himself as "pro-life".{{cite news |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2007/09/romney_and_abortion.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120724074907/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2007/09/romney_and_abortion.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 24, 2012 |title=The Fact Checker: Romney and Abortion |date=September 21, 2007 |newspaper=The Washington Post |first=Glenn |last=Kessler}} That year, he wrote: "I believe that abortion is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother."{{cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/07/26/why_i_vetoed_contraception_bill/ |title=Why I vetoed contraception bill |date=July 26, 2005 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |first=Mitt |last=Romney}}{{#tag:ref|Romney's cited exceptions regarding abortion are in line with those of the LDS Church, which allows it in cases of rape, incest, when the mother's health is seriously threatened, or when the fetus cannot survive past birth. When Romney was a bishop in the 1980s, there was a case where a woman in his congregation with four children was advised by her doctor to terminate her pregnancy because she had a potentially life-threatening blood clot. Romney strongly advised her not to, but she did anyway.|name="nb-abor"|group="nb"}}{{#tag:ref|Romney also amended his position on embryonic stem cell research: having once supported it broadly, he changed to being against therapeutic cloning of embryos for scientific research, insisting that "surplus embryos" from fertility treatments should be used instead.{{Cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/03/06/the_problem_with_the_stem_cell_bill/ |title=The problem with the stem cell bill |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=March 6, 2005 |first=Mitt |last=Romney |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318032053/http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/03/06/the_problem_with_the_stem_cell_bill/ |archive-date=March 18, 2009}}{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/diseases/articles/2007/02/11/romneys_stem_cell_view_may_upset_the_right/ |title=Romney's stem cell view may upset the right |author=Helman, Scott |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=February 11, 2007}}|name="nb-stem"|group="nb"}} During his 1994 Senate campaign, Romney had said, "I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country", a stance he reiterated during his 2002 campaign for governor.{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/79246dac-1284-11e2-b9fd-00144feabdc0 |url-status=live |title=Romney says abortion law not on his agenda |newspaper=Financial Times |first=Stephanie |last=Kirchgaessner |date=October 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012035527/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/79246dac-1284-11e2-b9fd-00144feabdc0.html |archive-date=October 12, 2012}} While Romney would prefer to see passage of a constitutional amendment that would outlaw abortion, he did not believe the public would support such an amendment;{{cite news |last=Rowland |first=Darrel |title=Romney wants states to repeal abortion |url=http://dispatchpolitics.dispatch.com/content/blogs/the-daily-briefing/2012/10/12-october-2012---abortion.html |newspaper=The Columbus Dispatch |date=October 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121142711/http://dispatchpolitics.dispatch.com/content/blogs/the-daily-briefing/2012/10/12-october-2012---abortion.html |archive-date=January 21, 2013}} as an alternative, he promised to nominate Supreme Court justices who would help overturn Roe v. Wade, allowing each state to decide on the legality of abortion.{{cite news |last=Parker |first=Ashley |title=Romney tries to reassure socially conservative audience |url=https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/08/romney-tries-to-reassure-socially-conservative-audience/ |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 8, 2011}} His earlier pro-abortion rights stance in particular and support for some gay rights and gun restrictions as governor of Massachusetts earned him the criticism of some conservatives; the conservative magazine Human Events labeled him one of the top ten RINOs in 2005.{{Cite news |url=https://humanevents.com/2005/12/27/top-10-rinos-republicans-in-name-only/ |title=Top 10 RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) |work=Human Events |access-date=May 29, 2018 |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529203052/http://humanevents.com/2005/12/27/top-10-rinos-republicans-in-name-only/ |archive-date=May 29, 2018 |url-status=live}}

Romney said he would appoint federal judges in the mold of U.S. Supreme Court justices John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, and Samuel Alito.{{cite news |last=Camia |first=Catalina |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/onpolitics/2012/10/01/obama-romney-supreme-court-vacancy/1606025/ |title=Who would Romney appoint to Supreme Court? |newspaper=USA Today |date=October 1, 2012}}{{cite video |url=https://video.foxnews.com/v/1308577783001 |title=Romney Weighs in on Top Campaign Issues |publisher=Fox News |date=December 4, 2011 |time=7:34}} He advocated judicial restraint and strict constructionism as judicial philosophies.{{cite news |last=O'Neill |first=Tyler |url=http://nation.foxnews.com/pro-life/2012/07/03/obamacare-ruling-energizes-pro-life-movement |title=Obamacare Ruling Energizes Pro-Life Movement |publisher=Fox News |date=July 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123113118/http://nation.foxnews.com/pro-life/2012/07/03/obamacare-ruling-energizes-pro-life-movement%23ixzz28qLoUlIe |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |url-status=dead}}

Romney declared his support for the Black Lives Matter international human rights movement by attending the rally,{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2020/06/07/romney-protest-black-lives-matter/ |title=Mitt Romney, marching with evangelicals, becomes first GOP senator to join George Floyd protests in D.C. |first1=Michelle |last1=Boorstein |first2=Hannah |last2=Natanson |newspaper=The Washington Post}} and then joining the Faith Works{{Cite web |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/june/mitt-romney-dc-march-thabiti-anyabwile-christians.html |title=Mitt Romney Joins Evangelical Racial Justice March in DC |first=Jack |last=Jenkins |website=Religion News Service |date=June 7, 2020 |via=christianity today}} march, on June 7, 2020,{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Solender |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/06/07/mitt-romney-says-black-lives-matter-at-protest-against-police-violence/#32d791d409e8 |title=Mitt Romney Says 'Black Lives Matter' At Protest Against Police Violence |work=Forbes |date=June 7, 2020}} from southeast Washington, past the Trump International Hotel, and Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, over the murder of George Floyd.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/06/07/mitt-romney-marches-black/ |title=Mitt Romney marches in Black Lives Matter protest in Washington |first1=Josh |date=June 7, 2020 |last1=Newman |website=Salt Lake Tribune}}

In July 2020, Romney, along with Pat Toomey, was one of two Republican U.S. Senators who condemned Trump's decision to commute the sentence of Roger Stone, which Romney described as "Unprecedented, historic corruption: an American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president."{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/11/republicans-denounce-roger-stone-commutation-357259 |title=Historic corruption': 2 Republican senators denounce Trump's commutation of Stone |first=Andrew |last=Desiderio |work=Politico |date=July 11, 2020 |access-date=July 12, 2020}}

In September 2020, Romney said the Republicans' decision to nominate and confirm Amy Coney Barrett as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States before the 2020 presidential election was fair: "the circumstance where a nominee of a president is from a different party than the Senate then, more often than not, the Senate does not confirm. So the Garland decision was consistent with that. On the other hand, when there's a nominee of a party that is in the same party as the Senate, then typically they do confirm."{{cite news |title=How Republicans Quickly Lined Up to Confirm a Supreme Court Nominee |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/09/how-republicans-quickly-lined-up-to-confirm-a-supreme-court-nominee/ |work=National Review |date=September 26, 2020 |access-date=September 27, 2020 |archive-date=September 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929003211/https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/09/how-republicans-quickly-lined-up-to-confirm-a-supreme-court-nominee/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last1=Sherman |first1=Jake |last2=Palmer |first2=Anna |last3=Ross |first3=Garrett |last4=Okun |first4=Eli |date=2020-09-22 |title=POLITICO Playbook PM: McConnell plows ahead |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2020/09/22/mcconnell-plows-ahead-490404 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |website=Politico |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924052327/https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2020/09/22/mcconnell-plows-ahead-490404?tab=most-read |archive-date=September 24, 2020 |url-status=live}} The following month after meeting with Barrett, Romney stated, "She is impressive, and her distinguished legal and academic credentials make it clear that she is exceptionally well qualified to serve as our next Supreme Court justice. I am confident that she will faithfully apply the law and our Constitution, impartially and regardless of policy preferences."{{Cite web |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-confirm-amy-coney-barrett-supreme-court |title=Romney says he will vote to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to Supreme Court |first=Morgan |last=Phillips |work=Fox News |date=October 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250314202101/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-confirm-amy-coney-barrett-supreme-court |archive-date=March 14, 2025 |url-status=live}}

In June 2024, Romney proposed a framework to mitigate the existential risk from artificial general intelligence along with Senators Jack Reed, Jerry Moran, and Angus King. Romney said he would like to see regulation that "would restrict the types of actions that could lead to existential, or health, or other serious consequences".{{Cite web |last=mshaw |date=2024-06-11 |title=Downplaying AI's existential risks is a fatal error, some say |url=https://rollcall.com/2024/06/11/downplaying-ais-existential-risks-is-a-fatal-error-some-say/ |access-date=June 23, 2024 |website=Roll Call |language=en-US}}

On July 21, 2024, when President Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential election, Romney posted a statement which read: "Others will judge his presidency. However, having worked with him these past few years, I respect President Biden. His decision to withdraw from the race was right and is in the best interest of the country." He added, "Ann and I send warm personal wishes to the President and First Lady."{{Cite web |last=Maxfield |first=Dilan |date=2024-07-21 |title=Romney Statement on Biden Announcement |url=https://www.romney.senate.gov/romney-statement-on-biden-announcement/ |access-date=July 22, 2024 |website=Mitt Romney}}

{{hatnote|Note: percentages may not total 100% because of rounding.}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title=Massachusetts United States Senate Republican primary, 1994{{cite web |url=http://electionstats.state.ma.us/elections/view/6091/ |publisher=Massachusetts Elections Division |title=PD43+ >> 1994 U.S. Senate Republican Primary |access-date=July 23, 2018}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Mitt Romney

| votes = 188,280

| percentage = 82.0%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = John Lakian

| votes = 40,898

| percentage = 17.8%

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

| votes = 318

| percentage = 0.1%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 229,496

| percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin

| title=United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 1994{{cite web |url=http://electionstats.state.ma.us/elections/view/6092/ |publisher=Massachusetts Elections Division |title=PD43+ >> 1994 U.S. Senate General Election |access-date=July 23, 2018}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Ted Kennedy (incumbent)

| votes = 1,266,011

| percentage = 58.1%

| change = –6.9%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Mitt Romney

| votes = 894,005

| percentage = 41.0%

| change = +7.1%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Libertarian Party (United States)

| candidate = Lauraleigh Dozier

| votes = 14,484

| percentage = 0.7%

| change = +0.2%

}}

{{Election box candidate

| party = LaRouche Was Right

| candidate = William A. Ferguson Jr.

| votes = 4,776

| percentage = 0.2%

| change = +0.2%

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link

| votes = 688

| percentage = nil

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box total

| votes = 2,179,964

| percentage = 100%

| change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{hatnote|Note: percentages may not total 100% because of rounding.}}

{{Election box begin

| title=Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2002}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Mitt Romney (Kerry Healey)

|votes = 1,091,988

|percentage = 49.8%

|change = –1.0%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Shannon O'Brien (Chris Gabrieli)

|votes = 985,981

|percentage = 44.9%

|change = –2.4%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Green-Rainbow Party

|candidate = Jill Stein (Tony Lorenzen)

|votes = 76,530

|percentage = 3.5%

|change = +3.5%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Libertarian Party (US)

|candidate = Carla Howell (Rich Aucoin)

|votes = 23,044

|percentage = 1.1%

|change = –0.6%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Barbara C. Johnson (Joe Schebel)

|votes = 15,335

|percentage = 0.7%

|change = +0.7%

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link

|votes = 1,301

|percentage = 0.1%

|change = –0.1%

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 2,194,179

|percentage = 100%

|change = +4.0%

}}

{{Election box candidate

|party =

|candidate = Blank

|votes = 6,122

|percentage =

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 2,220,301

|percentage =

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 106,007

|percentage = 4.8%

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Republican Party (United States)

|swing = +1.4%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{hatnote|Note: percentages may not total 100% because of rounding.}}

{{Election box begin no change|title=2012 United States presidential election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barack Obama / Joe Biden (inc.)|votes=65,915,795|percentage=51.1%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Mitt Romney / Paul Ryan|votes=60,933,504|percentage=47.2%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=Gary Johnson / Jim Gray|votes=1,275,971|percentage=1.0%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Green Party of the United States|candidate=Jill Stein / Cheri Honkala|votes=469,627|percentage=0.4%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Constitution Party (United States)|candidate=Virgil Goode / James Clymer|votes=122,389|percentage=0.1%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Peace and Freedom Party|candidate=Roseanne Barr / Cindy Sheehan|votes=67,326|percentage=0.1%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Justice Party (United States)|candidate=Rocky Anderson / Luis J. Rodriguez|votes=43,018|percentage=nil}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=American Independent Party|candidate=Tom Hoefling / J.D. Ellis|votes=40,628|percentage=nil}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Reform Party of the United States of America|candidate=Andre Barnett / Kenneth Cross|votes=956|percentage=nil}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=N/A|candidate=Other|votes=216,196|percentage=0.2%}}{{Election box total no change|votes=129,085,410|percentage=100%}}{{Election box hold with party link no swing|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}{{Election box end}}

{{hatnote|Note: percentages may not total 100% because of rounding.}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Republican primary results, Utah 2018{{cite web |title=United States Senate primary election in Utah, 2018 |url=https://elections.utah.gov/Media/Default/2018%20Election/2018%20Primary%20Election%20State%20Canvass.pdf |publisher=Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor |access-date=June 6, 2019}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Mitt Romney

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 240,021

| percentage = 71.3%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Mike Kennedy

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 96,771

| percentage = 28.7%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 336,792

| percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=United States Senate general election in Utah, 2018{{cite web |title=United States Senate general election in Utah, 2018 |url=https://elections.utah.gov/Media/Default/2018%20Election/2018%20General%20Election%20Canvass.pdf |publisher=Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor |access-date=June 6, 2019}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Mitt Romney

| votes = 665,215

| percentage = 62.6%

| change = –2.7%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Jenny Wilson

| votes = 328,541

| percentage = 30.9%

| change = +0.9%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Constitution Party (United States)

| candidate = Tim Aalders

| votes = 28,774

| percentage = 2.7%

| change = –0.5%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Libertarian Party (United States)

| candidate = Craig Bowden

| votes = 27,607

| percentage = 2.6%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Independent American Party

| candidate = Reed McCandless

| votes = 12,708

| percentage = 1.2%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link

| votes = 52

| percentage = nil

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box total

| votes = 1,062,897

| percentage = 100%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

| winner = Republican Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

File:Romney 2006 ESGR.PNG on behalf of his state]]

People magazine included Romney in its 50 Most Beautiful People list for 2002,{{cite news |url=https://people.com/archive/mitt-romney-politician-vol-57-no-18/ |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title=Mitt Romney: Politician |magazine=People |date=May 13, 2002}} and in 2004, a foundation that promotes the Olympic truce gave him its inaugural Truce Ideal Award.{{cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/sports/other_sports/olympics/articles/2006/02/13/romney_looks_ahead_back_in_olympics_visit/ |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title=Romney looks ahead, back in Olympics visit |author=Pane, Lisa Marie |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=February 13, 2006}} The Cranbrook School gave him its Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005. In 2008, he shared with his wife Ann the Canterbury Medal from The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, for "refus[ing] to compromise their principles and faith" during the presidential campaign.{{cite news |url=https://www.deseret.com/2008/5/10/20251627/romney-honored-for-defense-of-religious-liberty |title=Romney honored for 'Defense of Religious Liberty' |author=Roche, Lisa Riley |newspaper=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City |date=May 10, 2008}} In 2012, Time magazine included Romney in their List of The 100 Most Influential People in the World.{{cite news |url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2111975_2111976_2112000,00.html |title=The 100 Most Influential People in the World |last=Bain |first=Bill |date=April 18, 2012 |magazine=Time}}

In 2021, Romney received the Profile in Courage Award for being the only member of his party to vote to convict Donald Trump during his first impeachment trial.{{Cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-impeachments-mitt-romney-d77c4e352ce6fce8bd12079252edabff |title=Romney gets Profile in Courage Award for impeachment vote |date=April 20, 2021 |website=AP News}}

In 2024, Romney received the annual Legislative Achievement Award from the National Emergency Management Association for his efforts in creating the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission in Utah.{{Cite web |title=LEGISLATIVE Awards |url=https://nemaweb.org/about/congressional-awards/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=National Emergency Management Association |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Waltz |first=Paige |date=2024-03-21 |title=Romney Receives National Emergency Management Association's Legislative Achievement Award |url=https://www.romney.senate.gov/senator-mitt-romney-r-ut-today-was-presented-with-the-national-emergency-management-associations-annual-legislative-achievement-award-in-recognition-of-his-efforts-in-enac/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=Mitt Romney |language=en-US}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{Cite book |title=Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games |publisher=Regnery Publishing |location=Washington |first1=Mitt |last1=Romney |first2=Timothy |last2=Robinson |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-89526-084-0 |title-link=Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games}}
• {{Cite book |last=Romney |first=Mitt |title=No Apology: The Case for American Greatness |publisher=St. Martin's Press |location=New York |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-312-60980-1 |title-link=No Apology: The Case for American Greatness}}

{{refend}}

• List of governors of Massachusetts
• List of United States senators from Utah
• List of United States Republican Party presidential tickets
• President of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games

{{clear}}

{{reflist|30em|group="nb"}}

{{reflist}}

{{refbegin|30em}}

• {{Cite book |last1=Balz |first1=Dan |author-link=Dan Balz |first2=Haynes |last2=Johnson |author-link2=Haynes Johnson |title=The Battle for America, 2008: The Story of an Extraordinary Election |publisher=Viking Penguin |location=New York |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-670-02111-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/battleforamerica00balz_0}}
• {{Cite book |last1=Barone |first1=Michael |author-link=Michael Barone (pundit) |first2=Richard E. |last2=Cohen |author-link2=Richard E. Cohen |year=2004 |title=The Almanac of American Politics 2004 |publisher=National Journal Group |location=Washington |isbn=978-0-89234-106-1 |type=paperback |title-link=The Almanac of American Politics}}
• {{Cite book |last1=Barone |first1=Michael |first2=Richard E. |last2=Cohen |year=2006 |title=The Almanac of American Politics 2006 |publisher=National Journal Group |location=Washington |isbn=978-0-89234-111-5 |title-link=The Almanac of American Politics}}
• {{Cite book |last1=Barone |first1=Michael |first2=Richard E. |last2=Cohen |year=2008 |title=The Almanac of American Politics 2008 |publisher=National Journal Group |location=Washington |isbn=978-0-89234-116-0 |type=paperback |title-link=The Almanac of American Politics}}
• {{Cite book |editor1-last=Canellos |editor1-first=Peter S. |editor2=The Team at The Boston Globe |year=2009 |title=The Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy |publisher=Simon & Schuster |location=New York |isbn=978-1-4391-3817-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/lastlionfallrise00pete}}
• {{Cite book |last=Clymer |first=Adam |author-link=Adam Clymer |year=1999 |title=Edward M. Kennedy: A Biography |publisher=Wm. Morrow & Company |location=New York |isbn=978-0-688-14285-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/edwardmkennedybi00clym_0}}
• {{Cite book |last1=Heilemann |first1=John |author-link=John Heilemann |first2=Mark |last2=Halperin |author-link2=Mark Halperin |title=Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime |title-link=Game Change |publisher=HarperCollins |location=New York |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-06-173363-5}}
• {{Cite book |last=Hersh |first=Burton |year=1997 |title=The Shadow President: Ted Kennedy in Opposition |publisher=Steerforth Press |location=South Royalton, Vermont |isbn=978-1-883642-30-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/shadowpresidentt00hers}}
• {{Cite book |last=Hewitt |first=Hugh |author-link=Hugh Hewitt |title=A Mormon in the White House?: 10 Things Every American Should Know About Mitt Romney |publisher=Regnery Publishing |location=Washington |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-59698-502-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/mormoninwhitehou00hewi}}
• {{Cite book |last1=Kranish |first1=Michael |author-link=Michael Kranish |first2=Scott |last2=Helman |title=The Real Romney |publisher=HarperCollins |location=New York |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-06-212327-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/realromney00kran}}
• {{Cite book |last=Mahoney |first=Tom |title=The Story of George Romney: Builder, Salesman, Crusader |publisher=Harper & Brothers |location=New York |year=1960 |oclc=236830}}
• {{Cite book |last=Thomas |first=Evan |author-link=Evan Thomas |year=2009 |title="A Long Time Coming": The Inspiring, Combative 2008 Campaign and the Historic Election of Barack Obama |url=https://archive.org/details/alongtimecominge00thom |url-access=registration |publisher=PublicAffairs |location=New York |isbn=978-1-58648-607-5}}

{{refend}}

{{Refbegin|30em}}

• {{Cite book |last=Coppins |first=McKay |author-link=McKay Coppins |year=2023 |title=Romney: A Reckoning |location=New York |publisher=Scribner |isbn=9781982196202 |oclc=1394141101}}
• {{Cite book |last=Foster |first=Craig |year=2008 |title=A Different God?: Mitt Romney, the Religious Right, and the Mormon Question |location=Draper, Utah |publisher=Greg Kofford Books |isbn=978-1-58958-117-3}}
• {{Cite book |last=Hines |first=Phillip |year=2012 |title=Mitt Romney in His Own Words |url=https://archive.org/details/mittromneyinhiso0000romn |url-access=registration |location=New York |publisher=Threshold Editions |isbn=978-1-4516-8780-4}}
• {{Cite book |last=Scott |first=Ronald B. |year=2011 |title=Mitt Romney: An Inside Look at the Man and His Politics |url=https://archive.org/details/mittromneyinhiso0000romn |location=Guilford, Connecticut |publisher=Lyons Press |isbn=978-0-7627-7927-7}}
• {{Cite book |last1=Turner |first1=Lisa Ray |first2=Kimberly |last2=Field |year=2007 |title=Mitt Romney: The Man, His Values, and His Vision |location=Silverton, Idaho |publisher=Mapletree Publishing |isbn=978-1-60065-109-0}}
• {{Cite video |last=Whiteley |first=Greg |year=2014 |title=Mitt – A Netflix original documentary |publisher=Netflix |type=documentary film}}

{{Refend}}

• [https://www.romney.senate.gov Official U.S. Senate website]
• [https://www.romneyforutah.com Mitt Romney for U.S. Senate] {{dash}} Official campaign site
• {{CongLinks | congbio=R000615 | votesmart=21942 | fec=S8UT00176 | congress=mitt-romney/R000615 }}
• {{C-SPAN|37242}}
• [https://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/02/05/mitt-romney-trump-impeachment-trial-vote-announcement-full-vpx.cnn Video of his explanation to the Senate why he plans to vote to convict President Trump in the Senate impeachment trial] from CNN

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