Mitt Romney

**Willard Mitt Romney** (born March 12, 1947) is an American Republican politician, businessman, and lawyer who served as a United States Senator from Michigan, a position he held from 1991 until 2023. He served as Minority Leader from 2013 until 2015; serving again in 2023, and as Majority Leader from 2015 until 2019. The son of Michigan Governor George Romney, and born into a notable political family, Mitt Romney has served as the figurehead of the family. Like his father, he was a Presidential candidate multiple times, losing the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

He was previously a management consultant and in 1977 joined Bain & Company in Boston, Massachusetts. As Bain's chief executive officer (CEO), he helped lead the company out of a financial crisis. In 1984, he co-founded and led the spin-off company Bain Capital, a private equity investment firm that became one of the largest of its kind in the nation. After stepping down from Bain Capital and his local leadership role in the Mormon LDS Church, at the urging of his parents, Romney challenged popular Democratic incumbent & Senate Majority Whip Carl Levin. Because 1990 was a midterm under a Democratic President, John Glenn, the Republicans had the natural advantage, helping shift the tide in the notorious swing state. Romney defeated Levin by a narrow margin, and was sworn in at noon on January 3rd, 1991.

After a difficult re-election campaign in 1996 against former Governor James J. Blanchard, Romney won re-election easily in 2002. However, in 2008, Romney was held to a 2-point margin by Democratic nominee Virgil Bernero, one of the closest races that year, amidst the large Democratic landslide that year. Romney was re-elected easily again in 2014 and in 2020. In 2013, incumbent Republican leader George W. Bush retired from the U.S. Senate. Romney announced his campaign to succeed Bush, and after Bush endorsed Romney and Senate Whip Mitch McConnell dropped out of the race to run for re-election as whip, Romney won on the first ballot in a landslide against Lousiana Senator David Vitter. Romney lead the party to a majority after a Republican landslide in 2014, and, despite setbacks in 2016, again won the party net seats in 2018. However, many Republicans felt that the conservative messaging of McConnell was more effective, and as time went on, McConnell began to gather more respect and power in the conference, until eventually in 2019, faced with new term limits after 11 years as whip, McConnell sought to challenge Romney. Romney proved ineffective against the skilled McConnell, who defeated Romney to become Majority Leader.

Romney considered retirement in 2020 following his defeat, but given that the seat was like to fall into Democratic hands and McConnell's own age, Romney decided to run for a sixth term. As Romney had noted, on March 7th, 2023, McConnell suffered a fall at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, fracturing a rib and suffering a concussion. Giving his old age and poor health, McConnell decided, although still unexpectedly, to resign as U.S. Senator. Romney immediately announced his candidacy for the leadership position, and when Whip John Thune refused to run, Romney won the position, returning as Senate Republican Leader on March 27th of the same year, when McConnell's resignation took place.

Romney was the campaign manager for Joe Biden's 1992 general & primary and George Pataki's primary 2020 presidential campaigns in Michigan. On September 13th, 2023, Romney announced his retirement in 2026. However, on December 11, 2023, he announced his sudden immediate resignation from the Senate, citing his discontent for the Senate Republican Conference and perceived far-right extremism in the party.