Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney is the former Massachusetts governor and is considered a top candidate in the running for the Republican nomination for President.

After attending Brighman Young University and Harvard Business school, Romney eventually took over as CEO at Bain & Company, leading the company out of financial crisis. Romney was also co-founder and head of the spin-off company Bain Capital, a private equity investment firm which was extremely successful and earned Romney his wealth that he used to fund all future political campaigns.

In 1994, he launched his bid for the Senate losing to Ted Kennedy—so he turned to organizing the 2002 Winter Olympics instead. His success in turning the games around earned him considerable favor with fiscally conservative Republicans and helped get him elected as Governor of Massachusetts in 2002. During his tenure, he instituted spending cuts and signed into law healthcare reform legislation that nearly provided universal coverage and was the first of its kind in the nation. President Obama modeled his national healthcare bill after Massachusetts' law. He did not run again in 2006 and focused his attention instead on his 2008 campaign for President. In 2008, Romney secured several caucus and primary wins including Michigan, but he ultimately lost the nomination to Senator John McCain who went on to lose to Senator Obama.

Since then, Romney has remained a visible public figure. He published No Apology: The Case for American Greatness, gave speeches, and raised money for Republican campaigns all the while remaining in the public eye.

In June 2011, Romney announced his intention to run for President in 2012. Political observers and public opinion polls place him as a front-runner in the race though he faces a tough battle with Texas Governor Rick Perry.

The Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage for all Massachusetts couples in 2003 under Romney’s leadership as Governor. Romney has made his opposition to both marriage and civil unions for gay and lesbian couples know publicly, though he supports some domestic partnership benefits. In 2002, Romney openly opposed a marriage ban preceding the 2003 marriage decision. The sweeping amendment would have prohibited domestic partnership benefits for gays and lesbians. He has also expressed his support for Legislative and popular votes on the rights of gays and lesbians saying that he prefers the popular majority to the authority of the courts. He has pandered to Log Cabin Republicans in the past in an effort to secure their vote in his 1994 bid for the Senate—which was ultimately unsuccessful.

In a Des Moines Register poll before the Iowa caucus, Romney led the pack with 24% support. Ron Paul came in second with 22% and Rick Santorum surged ahead to third with 15%.

At the Iowa caucus, Romney and Rick Santorum tied with roughly 24% of the vote, and Ron Paul took third with 21%. In the conservative South Carolina primary he took second with only 27% of the vote. Newt Gingrich caused an upset by winning South Carolina with 40%. Santorum came in third with 17%, and Ron Paul fourth with 13%.

One Iowa is committed to holding our political leaders accountable for their words and actions while on the campaign trail. We support fair minded politicians who value all families, and over the next few months One Iowa will be working to make sure you have the information you need to make an informed choice.

Endorsements

Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney for president in a brief joint appearance at Trump's Las Vegas hotel.

After dropping out of the GOP race himself, Jon Huntsman, Jr., handed over his personal endorsement backing Mitt Romney.

Perhaps the biggest endorsement a GOP frontrunner could ask for, Romney snagged an influential endorsement from 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain. Romney garnered the endorsement shortly after his win in the Iowa caucuses.

Including an official endorsement from The Des Moines Register, Romney also boasted in a statement that he has garnered support from over a dozen Iowa leaders including 2 former Speakers of the House, 5 current and former state senators, and 7 current and former state representatives. Other Romney endorsements include Sen. Bob Dole and conservative activist Christine O'Donnell, among others.

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Keep checking back with us for the latest information on Mitt Romney and marriage equality.

Romney on Obama and DOMA:

“This is a president who also is attempting to pave the way for same-sex marriage in our nation by refusing through his attorney general to defend the Defense of Marriage Act. I will defend that act and I will also defend marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman.”
1/18/12, On Top Magazine

Romney to gay veteran:

"I believe marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman...We apparently disagree on that."
12/12/11, Think Progress

From The Des Moines Register editorial board meeting with Mitt Romney:

DADT and gay and lesbian soldiers serving openly in the military: "That’s already occurred. I’m not planning on reversing that at this stage. I was not comfortable making the change during a period of conflict, due to the complicating features of a new program in the middle of two wars going on, but those wars are winding down, and moving in that direction at this stage no longer presents that problem."
On LGBT rights and marriage equality: "I continuously have people say, ‘Oh, you changed your position on gay rights.’ No, I didn’t. I had the same position on gay rights since the beginning of my political career. I said I’m in favor of providing for gay people, I’m opposed to discrimination based on sexual orientation. At the same time, from the very beginning, I’ve said I oppose same-sex marriage and civil union if it’s virtually identical to same-sex marriage."
12/9/11, Des Moines Register

Romney's latest Iowa flyer, touting opposition to marriage equality:

11/26/11, Des Moines Register.

Romney "in favor of gay rights":

"The story on same-sex marriage is that I have the same position on that, that I had from the very beginning. I’m in favor of traditional marriage, I oppose same-sex marriage. At the same time, I don’t believe in discriminating in employment or opportunity for gay individuals. So I favor gay rights, I do not favor same-sex marriage. That has been my position all along."
11/21/11, Think Progress.

 On a Federal Marriage Amendment:

"I'd far prefer having the representatives of the people make that decision than justices. But I believe the issue of marriage should be decided at the federal level. People move from state to state; they have children. If one state recognizes a marriage and the other does not, what's the right of that child? What kind of divorce proceeding would there be in a state that didn't recognize a marriage in the first place? Marriage is not an activity that goes on within the walls of a state. Marriage's status should be constant across the country. I believe we should have a federal amendment in the constitution that defines marriage as a relationship between a man and woman, because I believe the ideal place to raise a child is in a home with a mom and a dad."
8/11/11, On The Issues

On the definition of marriage:

"I believe marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman and the definition of marriage should be left to the people and not to activist courts."
4/3/09, The Washington Post

Marriage vs. civil unions:

"If the question is, do you support gay marriage or civil unions? I'd say neither. If they said you have to have one or the other, that Massachusetts is going to have one or the other, then I'd rather have civil unions than gay marriage. But I'd rather have neither."
7/7/08, CBS News 

On marriage:

"I agree with 3000 years of recorded history. I believe marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman and I have been rock solid in my support of traditional marriage. Marriage is first and foremost about nurturing and developing children. It’s unfortunate that those who choose to defend the institution of marriage are often demonized.”
8/31/07, On The Issues 

On discrimination:

"What happened was that the gay community changed their perspective for what they wanted. ...I said I opposed same-sex marriage. At the same time, I would advance the, if you will, not to discriminate again people who are gay."
6/7/07, Romney on Piers Morgan

On Don't Ask Don't Tell:

"...When I first heard of the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, I thought it sounded awfully silly. I didn’t think that would be very effective. And I turned out to be wrong. It’s been the policy now in the military for what, 10, 15 years, and it seems to be working. This is not the time to put in place a major change, a social experiment, in the middle of a war going on. I wouldn’t change it at this point. We can look at down the road. But it does seem to me that we have much bigger issues as a nation we ought to be talking about than that policy right now."
6/3/07, On the Issues 

On Massachusetts and marriage equality:

"I agree with 3,000 years of recorded history. I disagree with the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Marriage is an institution between a man and a woman. I will support an amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution to make that expressly clear."
4/28/07

Romney on marriage:

"...If you indicate as a society that you're indifferent between a same-sex couple marrying and a heterosexual couple marrying, then it means our schools and other institutions are going to have to indicate that there is no difference whatsoever, and that obviously has societal consequences that are important."
8/26/05, MSNBC, Hardball

 On marriage equality in Massachusetts:

"No matter how you feel about gay marriage, we should be able to agree that the citizens and their elected representatives must not be excluded from a decision as fundamental to society as the definition of marriage. There are lessons from my state's experience that may help other states preserve the rightful participation of their legislatures and citizens, and avoid the confusion now facing Massachusetts.
"In a decision handed down in November, a divided Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts detected a previously unrecognized right in our 200-year-old state constitution that permits same-sex couples to wed. I believe that 4-3 decision was wrongly decided and is deeply mistaken.
"Contrary to the court's opinion, marriage is not 'an evolving paradigm.' It is deeply rooted in the history, culture and tradition of civil society. It predates our Constitution and our nation by millennia. The institution of marriage was not created by government and it should not be redefined by government.
"Marriage is a fundamental and universal social institution. It encompasses many obligations and benefits affecting husband and wife, father and mother, son and daughter. It is the foundation of a harmonious family life. It is the basic building block of society: The development, productivity and happiness of new generations are bound inextricably to the family unit. As a result, marriage bears a real relation to the well-being, health and enduring strength of society.
"Because of marriage's pivotal role, nations and states have chosen to provide unique benefits and incentives to those who choose to be married. These benefits are not given to single citizens, groups of friends, or couples of the same sex. That benefits are given to married couples and not to singles or gay couples has nothing to do with discrimination; it has everything to do with building a stable new generation and nation."
2/5/04, Orthodoxy Today, orginally published in the Wall Street Journal 

In a letter to Log Cabin Republicans in 1994:

"For some voters, it might be enough to simply match my opponent’s record in this area. But I believe we can and must do better. If we are to achieve the goals we share, we must make equality for gays and lesbians a mainstream concern. My opponent cannot do this. I can and will."
republished by The New York Times, 12/9/06 

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