Mitt Romney . 
Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney , in full Willard Mitt Romney -LRB- born March 12 , 1947 , Detroit , Michigan , U.S. -RRB- , American politician , who served as governor of Massachusetts -LRB- 2003 -- 07 -RRB- and who was the Republican Party 's presidential nominee in 2012 . 
The youngest of four siblings , Romney was born into one of the most prominent families within the Mormon faith . 
The younger Romney attended Stanford University in California , but he interrupted his studies in 1966 to undertake a 30-month missionary campaign for the Mormon church in France . 
Romney graduated summa cum laude from Brigham Young University with a B.A. degree in English in 1971 . 
Romney then moved into the private sector as an investment consultant . 
During his time at Bain , Romney acquired a multimillion-dollar fortune . 
His successful turnaround of the scandal-plagued 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City , chronicled by Romney in Turnaround : Crisis , Leadership , and the Olympic Games -LRB- 2004 -RRB- , served as a springboard for his successful Massachusetts gubernatorial campaign in 2002 . 
After taking office in 2003 , Romney addressed the state 's budget problems , implemented universal health care for the uninsured , and created a scholarship program for lower - and middle-income students to attend Massachusetts universities . 
Romney sometimes took centrist positions early in his political career -LRB- e.g. , during his 1994 campaign against Kennedy , he argued that homosexuals needed "more support from the Republican Party" and that "abortion should be safe and legal" -RRB- , but later in his career he fashioned himself as a fiscal and social conservative , maintaining that his views on such issues had evolved . 
Romney was opposed to gay marriage , and , after the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled in November 2003 that the denial of marriage licenses to same-sex couples was unconstitutional , he tried unsuccessfully to have the issue placed on the ballot . 
Romney turned next to pursuing the Republican nomination for president in 2008 . 
In January 2008 , however , Romney placed a disappointing second in both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary , losing to Mike Huckabee and John McCain , respectively . 
Acknowledging the gap that existed between the number of delegates that each candidate could claim , Romney suspended his campaign several days later . 
Romney remained active in politics , and he also published the book No Apology : The Case for American Greatness -LRB- 2010 -RRB- . 
Romney began the campaign as the perceived front-runner for the Republican nomination . 
In August Romney chose U.S. Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his vice presidential running mate . 
Mitt Romney , 2010 . 
Mitt Romney , 2010 . 
Having emphasized his conservative credentials in the primaries -LRB- he called himself "severely conservative" -RRB- , Romney adopted a more-centrist position during the presidential campaign itself . 
Throughout the race , Romney sought to convince undecided voters that he could provide what the Democratic incumbent , President Barack Obama , had so far failed to deliver : a full recovery from the Great Recession of 2007 -- 09 . 
Romney presented his own experience as a successful governor and businessman as evidence of his capacity to lead the country on the road to economic recovery and growth . 
Despite a strong campaign , Romney 's bid for the presidency was unsuccessful , and Obama was reelected .
[TGT] , in full Willard Mitt Romney -LRB- born March 12 , 1947 , Detroit , Michigan , U.S. -RRB- , American politician , who served as governor of Massachusetts -LRB- 2003 -- 07 -RRB- and who was the Republican Party 's presidential nominee in 2012 . 
The youngest of four siblings , [TGT] was born into one of the most prominent families within the Mormon faith . 
[TGT] attended Stanford University in California , but [TGT] interrupted [TGT] studies in 1966 to undertake a 30-month missionary campaign for the Mormon church in France . 
[TGT] graduated summa cum laude from Brigham Young University with a B.A. degree in English in 1971 . 
[TGT] then moved into the private sector as an investment consultant . 
During [TGT] time at Bain , [TGT] acquired a multimillion-dollar fortune . 
[TGT] successful turnaround of the scandal-plagued 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City , chronicled by [TGT] in Turnaround : Crisis , Leadership , and the Olympic Games -LRB- 2004 -RRB- , served as a springboard for [TGT] successful Massachusetts gubernatorial campaign in 2002 . 
After taking office in 2003 , [TGT] addressed the state 's budget problems , implemented universal health care for the uninsured , and created a scholarship program for lower - and middle-income students to attend Massachusetts universities . 
[TGT] sometimes took centrist positions early in [TGT] political career -LRB- e.g. , during [TGT] 1994 campaign against Kennedy , [TGT] argued that homosexuals needed "more support from the Republican Party" and that "abortion should be safe and legal" -RRB- , but later in [TGT] career [TGT] fashioned [TGT] as a fiscal and social conservative , maintaining that [TGT] views on such issues had evolved . 
[TGT] was opposed to gay marriage , and , after the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled in November 2003 that the denial of marriage licenses to same-sex couples was unconstitutional , [TGT] tried unsuccessfully to have the issue placed on the ballot . 
[TGT] turned next to pursuing the Republican nomination for president in 2008 . 
In January 2008 , however , [TGT] placed a disappointing second in both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary , losing to Mike Huckabee and John McCain , respectively . 
Acknowledging the gap that existed between the number of delegates that each candidate could claim , [TGT] suspended [TGT] campaign several days later . 
[TGT] remained active in politics , and [TGT] also published the book No Apology : The Case for American Greatness -LRB- 2010 -RRB- . 
[TGT] began the campaign as the perceived front-runner for the Republican nomination . 
In [TGT] chose U.S. Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as [TGT] vice presidential running mate . 
[TGT] , 2010 . 
[TGT] , 2010 . 
Having emphasized [TGT] conservative credentials in the primaries -LRB- [TGT] called [TGT] "severely conservative" -RRB- , [TGT] adopted a more-centrist position during the presidential campaign itself . 
Throughout the race , [TGT] sought to convince undecided voters that [TGT] could provide what the Democratic incumbent , President Barack Obama , had so far failed to deliver : a full recovery from the Great Recession of 2007 -- 09 . 
[TGT] presented [TGT] own experience as a successful governor and businessman as evidence of [TGT] capacity to lead the country on the road to economic recovery and growth . 
Despite a strong campaign , [TGT] 's bid for the presidency was unsuccessful , and Obama was reelected .