August 31, 2012

Mitt Romney officially became the 2012 Republican candidate for president of the United States on Thursday, August 30, ending his six-year quest for the nomination. Two days earlier, Romney had polled 2,061 votes, more than the 1,144 needed for the nomination, during roll-call voting by delegates at the Republican National Convention. In his acceptance speech, Romney spoke of his childhood and family. He also contended that continuing high unemployment had led many Americans to give up on President Barack Obama and argued that “Now is the time to restore the promise of America.”

Mitt Romney (Abby Brack, Romney for President, Inc.)

Romney became his party’s presumptive nominee in April, when the last of a wide field of challengers dropped out of what had been a contentious Republican primary season. That month, Rick Santorum suspended his presidential campaign. By April, Newt Gingrich and Representative Ron Paul of Texas also had failed to pick up enough convention delegates to be considered serious contenders.

Romney, 65 years old, is a former governor of Massachusetts and a successful businessman. He founded Bain Capital, a private investment firm, in 1984. Romney gained national attention after serving as president of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Before he took over, the 2002 Olympics had been plagued by scandal and financial problems. Romney had previously been a candidate for the Republican nomination for U.S. president in 2008 but lost to Arizona Senator John McCain.

Additional articles in World Book:

• Election campaign
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August 28, 2012

The Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, reconvened on Tuesday, August 28, after a one-day postponement triggered by concerns about potentially dangerous weather produced by Tropical Storm Isaac. Party officials opened the convention on Monday but recessed less than one minute later. Uncertainty about the path of the storm, which had caused widespread damage in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, led Republican officials on Saturday to shorten the convention from four to three days. However, on Sunday, Isaac turned northwest, away from Tampa and toward the Gulf of Mexico. Tampa and other areas in central and southern Florida were hit only by strong winds and heavy rains.

Mitt Romney (Abby Brack, Romney for President, Inc.)

On Tuesday, delegates voted for their nominee for president. Mitt Romney received 2,061 votes, more than the 1,144 votes needed to win the Republican nomination. He was to be formally nominated Thursday, August 30. Speakers on Tuesday evening included Ann Romney, Mitt Romney’s wife; Republican Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey; and Rick Santorum, former Republican senator from Pennsylvania, who ran against Romney for the presidential nomination.

Additional articles in World Book:

• Election campaign
• Political party