Mitt Romney
A candidate for President of the United States in the 2012 Idaho General Election
Party: Republican
Age: 77
City: Boston, MA
Occupation: Venture capitalist; former Massachussetts governor
After a protracted primary battle, Romney won enough delegates to secure the nomination with a May 29 primary victory in Texas. Romney is the son of George Romney, an auto executive who became Michigan’s governor and made an unsuccessful White House run in 1968. The younger Romney says he is committed to seeing someone in the 2012 race “who understands the economy.” Romney has worked in the private sector for much of his career.
He served a single term as governor of Massachusetts, during which he worked with a Democratic legislature. He passed a statewide health insurance overhaul that President Barack Obama has called a model for his own national health care plan.
He has proven to be a fundraising powerhouse who survived a strong initial challenge from Rick Perry, then a surging Newt Gingrich, then a persistent Rick Santorum, only to watch his rivals flame out while he steadily won state contests.
Romney has already made one run for the White House, losing the 2008 GOP nomination to Sen. John McCain.
He has changed his views on issues vital to many conservatives, including abortion rights, gay rights and embryonic stem-cell research. Conservatives following the presidential race have still not settled on Romney, expressing preferences for candidates they see as being farther to the right.
He has been married for more than 40 years and has has five sons and 16 grandchildren.
Contact information
Race Results
Idaho vote totals in the national election
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Mitt Romney (R) | 420,750 | 64.54% |
| Barack Obama (D) | 212,560 | 32.61% |
| Gary Johnson (L) | 9,448 | 1.45% |
| Jill Stein (G) | 4,400 | 0.67% |
| Rocky Anderson (J) | 2,495 | 0.38% |
| Virgil Goode (C) | 2,218 | 0.34% |
| James Harris (S) | 0 | 0% |
Related Coverage
Romney’s playbook on Bain unclear as attacks grow
The core of his presidential candidacy under attack, Mitt Romney has yet to shape a playbook to defend a quarter-century in the business world that created great riches for him and great hardship, at times, for some American workers.
Santorum, Gingrich expected to endorse Romney
WASHINGTON — Rick Santorum wants to ensure the GOP’s policy platform represents conservatives’ interests. Newt Gingrich wants help retiring his campaign debt and repairing his reputation. Both Republicans are expected to endorse their former rival Mitt Romney — and signal to their backers to fall in line behind the party’s presumptive nominee — but each wants assurances that Romney will deliver for them. Neither is rushing toward the task.
Dana Milbank: Arizona law won’t help Romney
WASHINGTON – Aficionados of the Etch A Sketch will recall a certain flaw in the toy: If you use it often, some of the lines drawn no longer disappear when you shake the device, leaving an indelible trace of where you have been. This is the problem Mitt Romney is encountering: He is shaking the device, trying to erase impressions left during this year’s primary contest. But he just can’t shake away the image of Russell Pearce.