36 economists rated Obama’s performance in handling the economy — 13 of them rated his performance “poor” and none rated him “excellent.” Surprise, surprise! (See graph to view the federal spending since Obama took office and projected spending).

Source: www.TheAtlantic.com

This Associated Press article goes on to say,

Asked which of the Republican presidential candidates would do the best job managing the economy, two thirds of the economists named Romney, one chose former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The rest didn’t pick anyone at all.

Allen Sinai, president of Decision Economics, says Romney, who ran a private equity firm before turning to politics, is the “hands down” choice among Republican presidential contenders squaring off in the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses.

“Romney’s a technocrat,” Sinai says. “He’s not an ideologue. He has a history in the real world of business.”

[emphasis added]

As to Obama’s huge infusion of government stimulus funds, Sinai goes on to say,

. . . public works projects failed to pull Japan out of a long economic slump that began in the 1990s and continues today. After the money is spent, “you’re left with deficits and debt. And someday if you need new government stimulus, you can’t afford it. And that’s where we are now,” Sinai says.

The AP authors Wiseman and Kravitz state why economists so overwhelmingly chose Romney over all the other Republican candidates,

Many of those who chose Romney couldn’t cite any of the former Massachusetts governor’s economic proposals. Nevertheless, his background won over the economists. Romney graduated from Harvard Business School and served as CEO of Bain & Company, a management consulting business in Boston, and Bain Capital, a spinoff investment firm, in the 1980s and 90s.”He has the experience that the other candidates lack,” says Harris of UBS Securities.

Some of his Republican rivals have taken unconventional positions. Texas Rep. Ron Paul advocates abolishing the Federal Reserve and returning to the gold standard. Texas Gov. Rick Perry has said it would be “almost treasonous” for Bernanke to try a third round of bond purchases to jolt the economy before November’s election.

Among Romney’s chief economic plans: repealing the Obama administration’s health-care law; cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent; and making permanent tax cuts on dividends, interest and capital gains from President George W. Bush’s administration.

“He thinks about the economy in a more global way” than his GOP rivals, Naroff says. “He’s not a rigid ideologue.”

No other candidate even compares to Governor Romney’s credentials when it comes to economic expertise!

If you have not already read this article as to why Evangelicals should support and promote Governor Romney, please read it.

“It is rare to find a business partner who is selfless. If you are lucky it happens once in a lifetime.” — Michael Eisner

Last week was a big week for Mitt Romney. The Newt Gingrich bubble burst and the Romney resurgence began.

But the most missed story of last week was Gov. Romney’s health care victories. First, Romney’s proposal to reform Medicare got a big boost when it was adopted and sponsored by two very prominent members of congress, Rep. Paul Ryan (R) and Senator Ron Wyden (D) of Oregon. Paul Ryan is the popular conservative chairman of the House Budget Committee and is ranked as one of conservatives most influential voices on economic policy. Wyden serves on the Senate Budget and Finance Committees and is a health care expert in his own right. Wyden was widely considered as a top candidate to become HHR secretary under Obama. The fact that both of these leaders adopted Romney’s proposal speaks volumes about the quality of Romney’s plan and Romney’s ability to lead and develop bold yet realistic goals that will get things done for the American people.

Even Newt Gingrich, Romney’s chief rival for the nomination, praised the Ryan-Wyden health care bill as a “major breakthrough” in the last GOP debate in Iowa saying:

“Now, Gov. Romney, frankly, came up with a very good plan which allowed for the maintenance of the current (Medicare) system. Paul Ryan has adopted that, and I think in a very brave act by Senator Wyden, you now have a Democrat willing to co-sponsor the bill. I’ve endorsed the concept today. I think it is a big step forward and I think Gov. Romney deserves some of the credit for having helped figure out a way to make this thing workable. So I think it is a nice thing to actually have a bipartisan plan in Washington that we can actually look at in a positive way, and I hope will help save Medicare.”

Gingrich’s high praise for Romney is particularly surprising when one realizes that Newt and Mitt are running neck-in-neck for the nomination and given that Gingrich is often referred to as the “GOP’s idea man.”

The Ryan-Wyden Plan illustrates how Romney is able to develop bold goals that will produce results even in a difficult political climate. A lot of candidates will put forward a lot of proposals while running for office, but most of those proposals are ideas that just pander to the base of their party and have absolutely no chance of passing congress. The Ryan-Wyden plan shows Romney’s ability develop serious bipartisan solutions to America’s most difficult challenges. For a candidate who is not even in office yet, this is an impressive accomplishment.

The second victory Romney achieved last week in regard to health care came directly from President Obama. Obama finally caved in and conceded to Republicans by allowing states to have greater flexibility in crafting their own state plans.

The New York Times said this:

“In a major surprise on the politically charged new health care law, the Obama administration said Friday that it would not define a single uniform set of ‘essential health benefits’ that must be provided by insurers for tens of millions of Americans. Instead, it will allow each state to specify the benefits within broad categories.”

Why is this important? By giving states more authority to define their own health care programs, Obama is trying to avoid the “big brother” label on health care that is frequently used by conservatives. Obama is also trying to deflect the powerful argument made frequently by Romney that ObamaCare forces a one-size-fits-all standard for health insurance and usurps state authority to regulate the industry.

From the beginning, Romney has been pushing the Obama administration to allow greater flexibility to states, and in fact, what Romney ultimately wants is for each state to have the same degree of freedom that he had in Massachusetts to design and implement their own plans. One of the primary reasons Romney opposed ObamaCare is because it violated state sovereignty by taking away each state’s ability to create a unique plan, and then test that new plan in the ‘laboratories of democracy.’ Even though Obama’s move does not allow the full freedom that Romney would like, it represents a huge concession to Romney and the Republicans.

In conclusion, Romney has shown time and again that he is up to the task of reforming our nation’s most difficult and persistent problems. Health care costs in this country are astronomical with the U.S. spending almost 33% more per capita than other first-world countries. Most people do not realize that the U.S. federal government spends more money on health care than our entire national defense budget! Gov. Romney is the only candidate who consistently shows the breadth and depth necessary to handling meaningful entitlement reform in this country.

We have four endorsement treats to share today…

Elected officials from Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin are backing Mitt Romney…

Michigan:

Boston, MA – Mitt Romney has announced the support of Michigan Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Congressman Rogers will serve as Special Adviser for National Security Policy.

“Congressman Rogers’ work as a leader on national security issues has been important to the safety of our country,” said Mitt Romney. “Standing up to terrorists around the world, stopping Iran’s nuclear program, and maintaining our relationships with our allies will require the leadership that Congressman Rogers has displayed. I look forward to working with him both in this campaign and in Washington so that we can bring jobs back to our home state and keep our country secure.”

“Mitt Romney has displayed the conservative leadership throughout this campaign and his life that will be needed to fix our economy and maintain America’s standing as the most powerful country in the world,” said Congressman Rogers. “I am confident that Michigan will be on Mitt Romney’s mind every day he is President and he will work hard to get Michigan back on track. Mitt Romney’s plan to restore our country’s fiscal health is important not just for economic growth, but is also vital for our nation’s national security interests. An America that faces economic and budget problems will not be able to project power across the world or contain countries and groups who wish to harm us and our allies.”

Background on Congressman Rogers:

Congressman Rogers Represents Michigan’s 8th Congressional District. Congressman Rogers is the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Rogers has been a leader on issues vital to national security such as fighting the spread of terrorism, containing the Iranian nuclear threat, and protecting Americans from bio-terror attacks. Prior to his election to Congress, Rogers was a member of the Michigan Senate, U.S. Army and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Rogers is co-founder of a small home building company.

Nebraska:

Boston, MA – Mitt Romney has announced the endorsement of Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns.

“Senator Johanns has been a tireless servant for Nebraska and our country,” said Mitt Romney. “In my campaign, I am fighting to grow our economy, lower spending, and reform how Washington works. Senator Johanns has been on the frontline of these fights both in Nebraska and in the Senate. With his help, we can put our country on a prosperous path once again.”

Announcing his support, Senator Johanns said, “The only way we are going to reverse the failures of the last three years is if we have a president who understands the economy. Mitt Romney applied the principles he learned in the private sector to the challenges he faced leading the Olympics and as Governor. These same conservative principles can be used to fix our broken government.”

Background on Senator Johanns:

Senator Johanns Was Elected In 2008. In the Senate, he serves on the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Environment and Public Works, Veterans’ Affairs and Indian Affairs Committees. Prior to his election, he was the Secretary of Agriculture under President George W. Bush. From 1999 to 2005, Johanns was the Governor of Nebraska.

Read more…

Iowa has handed a bagful of Christmas presents to Mitt Romney:

Boston, MA – Mitt Romney today announced the support of Iowa leaders including 2 former Speakers of the House, 5 current and former state senators, and 7 current and former state representatives.

“I am proud to earn the support of so many Iowa leaders,” said Mitt Romney. “It is clear they share with me a vision of a “Smaller, Simpler, and Smarter” federal government. Their help will be necessary to spread my message of conservative economic principles to voters both in the Hawkeye state and the rest of the country.”

Announcing his support, former State Senator and Ambassador to Latvia Chuck Larson said, “Governor Romney spent his life as a conservative businessman and has the values, integrity, and stability to lead our country.”

(emphasis, italics added)

Twenty five gifts from Iowa… Elected officials and leaders endorsing Romney:

City Councilman Greg Adamson, Bettendorf
State Representative Chip Baltimore, Boone
City Councilman Shane Blanchard, Waukee
Mayor and Former State Representative Bob Brunkhorst, Waverly
City Councilman Mike Carver, Urbandale
Mayor Josh Chapman, DeSoto
Chair of Dallas County Board of Supervisors Kim E. Chapman, Adel
County Treasurer Jerry Coffman, Muscatine
Former Mayor, member of Iowa Juvenile Justice Advisory Council Jason Dively, Pleasant Hill
State Senator Joni Ernst, Red Oak
Mayor Mitch Hambleton, Dallas Center
State Representative MaryAnn Hanusa, Council Bluffs
Former Councilwoman Sarah Henderson, Cedar Rapids
State Representative and Former Senate Leader Stewart Iverson, Clarion
Former State Senator and Ambassador to Latvia Chuck Larson, West Des Moines
Former State Representative Janet Metcalf, Urbandale
Former State Senator Dave Mulder, Sioux Center
State Representative Steve Olson, DeWitt
Former Republican Party of Iowa Co-Chairman David Oman, Des Moines
Former Speaker of the House Christopher Rants, Sioux City
Former State Senator Donald Redfern, Cedar Falls
City Councilman Charles Schneider, West Des Moines
Former Speaker of the House Brent Siegrest, Council Bluffs
County Supervisor Jeff Sorensen, Muscatine
State Representative Ralph Watts, Adel

Ho! Ho! Ho! Thanks, Iowa!

► Jayde Wyatt

Sept 4, 2011 - Mitt Romney addresses the crowd at a Tea Party Express rally in Concord, New Hampshire.

According to Public Policy Polling, Tea Party people have placed Governor Romney on the presidential pedestal in pivotal New Hampshire:

Romney still up big in New Hampshire

Raleigh, N.C. – Mitt Romney has a significant lead in New Hampshire, getting 35% there to 19% for Ron Paul, 17% for Newt Gingrich, 13% for Jon Huntsman, 5% for
Michele Bachmann, 3% for Rick Santorum, 2% for Rick Perry, and 1% for Gary Johnson.

Romney’s doing well with pretty much every key segment of the Republican electorate in the state. It’s a rare place where he’s winning Tea Party voters, 29-21 over Ron Paul. He’s getting a full 50% of the vote with seniors, who will be a significant part of the vote. Voters think he has run the strongest campaign in the state (by a 35-12 margin over Paul), that he has the best chance of defeating Barack Obama (by a 38-14 margin over Gingrich), and there’s also a certain feeling of inevitability about his victory in New Hampshire. 41% think he will win the state’s primary to 12% for Gingrich with no one else in double digits.

Our New Hampshire poll reinforces our Iowa survey from last night showing Newt Gingrich’s support fading away. Only 42% of likely voters have a favorable opinion of
him to 51% with a negative one. Gingrich is less popular in New Hampshire now than he was in the spring when he had a 45/36 favorability.

Because it seems like there’s some possibility Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, and Rick Santorum could come to the end of their roads in Iowa we also tested a 4 way GOP
contest between just Romney, Paul, Gingrich, and Huntsman. In that scenario Romney gets 37% to 21% for Paul, 20% for Gingrich, and 15% for Huntsman.

“Our new polls in Iowa and New Hampshire are very good news for Mitt Romney,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “He’s headed for an easy win in New Hampshire and has a very good chance to get one in Iowa as well. That one two punch would probably end the Republican nomination fight before it even really starts.”

Numbers at a glance:

1. Mitt Romney – 29%

2. Ron Paul – 21%

3. Newt Gingrich – 20%

4. Michele Bachmann – 12%

5. Rick Perry and Rick Santorum – 5%

7. Jon Huntsman – 4%

8. Gary Johnson – 1%

Romney is holding onto his strong lead among all likely GOP primary voters:

1. Mitt Romney – 35%

2. Ron Paul – 19%

3. Newt Gingrich – 17%

4. Jon Huntsman – 13%

5. Michele Bachmann – 5%

6. Rick Santorum – 3%

7. Rick Perry – 2%

Telephone interviews were conducted by PPP with 1,235 likely Republican primary voters from December 16 -18. Margin of error: +/-2.8%. See full details here.

★ On Sunday (Dec 18th) a New Hampshire newspaper published a letter from former three-term NH Gov John Sununu. He explains his decision to back Romney:

Read more…

Senator Mark Kirk (R-Illinois)

The successor to Obama’s senatorial seat, Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) has thrown his support behind Mitt Romney. (It was good to hear him on FOX News this morning advocating for The Gov):

Boston, MA – Mitt Romney today announced the support of Illinois Senator Mark Kirk. Senator Kirk will be a Special Adviser on Policy.

“In order to revitalize our economy and repair our relationships abroad, I will need to work with leaders like Senator Kirk,” said Mitt Romney. “He has provided leadership in the Senate on the issues I am fighting for in my campaign. I am honored to have his support.”

Announcing his support, Senator Kirk said, “President Romney will cut spending, repeal the health care law and restore private sector economic growth. He is a foreign policy hawk who will stand up to Iran. As a Massachusetts Governor, he knows how to work with Democrats and Independents. As the head of the Salt Lake City Olympics, he worked with dozens of countries in organizing an international triumph for the United States. America needs his managerial talent, team building spirit and hard-nosed sense of economic common sense.”

Background On Senator Kirk:

Senator Kirk Was Elected In 2010 To Serve The Remainder Of Senator Obama’s Term, Plus A Six-Year Term Of His Own. Kirk previously served five terms in the House and is still a Naval Reserve Intelligence Commander, having just returned from Afghanistan in September from his third Reserve assignment there. Kirk built his career as a fiscal conservative and foreign policy hawk, adept at winning elections in heavily Democratic communities.

Chicago Sun Times:

Romney has the deepest Illinois operation of any of the 2012 Republican rivals. People have already been recruited to run for delegates and major Illinois endorsements have been out for months. In backing Romney, Kirk follows a string of Illinois Republicans: former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, Rep. Judy Biggert and Rep. Aaron Schock.

Newt Gingrich is just starting to get an Illinois organization. Delegate slates are due next month for the March Illinois primary.

Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford has also endorsed Romney.
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING

On April 14, 1945, 21 year old Army Lieutenant Bob Dole was severely injured while fighting World War II Germans in the Appernine Mountains in Italy. Suffering on the battlefield for nine hours, Dole was later evacuated to receive care. After an arduous recovery, Dole received two Bronze Stars with Valor and two Purple Heart awards. He would never regain use of his right arm.

Distinguished American Congressman, Senator, and GOP nominee for President of the United States Bob Dole has endorsed Mitt Romney. He penned an open letter to Iowa voters on December 18, 2011:

An Open Letter to the Voters of Iowa

On January 3, the Iowa caucuses will gather and take a momentous first step as the Republican Party begins the process of selecting a nominee for the position of President of the United States.

A great deal is at stake.

In the last few years, our beloved country has fallen on rough times. We have now gone 34 months with unemployment over 8 percent, the longest such stretch since the Great Depression. Nearly twenty-five million Americans are unemployed, working part-time when they would like to work full-time, or have simply quit looking.

Millions of Americans have lost their homes to foreclosure. Around three out of four Americans believe our nation is headed in the wrong direction. And they are right; our nation is indeed headed in the wrong direction. We need to turn it around.

A number of my friends are currently candidates seeking the GOP nomination. But the time has now come for us to decide who among them can defeat Barack Obama in 2012. I’ve made my decision, and I believe our best hope lies in Governor Mitt Romney.

I’ve known Mitt and his family for decades. His parents instilled in him a strong work ethic, rock-solid conservative values, and a deep sense of service to others. These traits—which have shone through in both the debates and my own visits with him—will serve him well in the White House.

As President, Mitt Romney will succeed in turning this country around. He rescued a flailing Winter Olympics when it was mired in financial scandal. He was an exceptional Governor of Massachusetts, who managed to both balance the state’s budget and cut taxes while dealing with an overwhelmingly Democratic state legislature.

Before his time in public service, Mitt Romney spent his career in the private sector, solving real problems in the real economy. He has helped to start or turn around numerous Main Street businesses that you know, like Sports Authority and Staples. He wasn’t just an investor. He got his hands dirty, and one of the results was the creation of tens of thousands of jobs. He has the experience and talent to get America back on the right track.

Governor Romney has already presented a bold, sweeping, and detailed proposal to guide this turnaround. It is more than just a jobs plan. It is a fundamental reorientation of the American economy on the basis of conservative principles. It takes power from the federal government in order to get Washington out of the way so that America can get back to work.

The nation can’t afford four more years of Barack Obama’s failed leadership. We absolutely need to choose a nominee who can win next November. I’ve run for President myself and twice I had the deep honor of finishing first in the Iowa caucuses. I have many friends in the state. Some of them even call me the President of Iowa. When I say that Mitt Romney is the kind of man that Iowans should support, I know whereof I speak.

And one last point: when it comes to agricultural policy, you can trust Mitt—I do.

God Bless America,

Senator Bob Dole

(emphasis added)

What a wonderful endorsement of Gov Romney!

Read more about Senator Dole here.

► Jayde Wyatt

November 10, 1993 - Mitt Romney is pictured working at Bain & Company, Inc. in Boston, MA.

Just a few days after Newt Gingrich’s attack on capitalism and Mitt Romney’s free market, risk-taking work at Bain, an unexpected feather has been added to Romney’s cap…

A company saved from bankruptcy by Romney was named the Best Employer In America – Bain & Company (beating out trendy tech companies).

Business Insider 12/15/11:

The best employer in America — according to an annual report from Glassdoor — is a company that was saved from bankruptcy by Mitt Romney.

Bain & Company today is defined by Romney, and that says a lot for his capabilities as a leader.

While Romney held a longer tenure at the head of Bain Capital (a 1983 spinoff from the consulting firm), his year as CEO of Bain & Co had a massive impact.

Romney was brought on as CEO in 1991 to save the company from financial collapse. In 12 months, he completely turned the company around, bringing it back to profitability and avoiding layoffs by fixing the governance structure and creating more transparency. For example, he allowed managers to see each other’s salaries. After handing off the firm to new leadership, he went back to his old job at Bain Capital.

June 24, 2011 - Dedicated and energetic Bain & CO employees volunteer at St. Anthony's charitable organization in San Fran, CA serving food, clearing tables, and working in the food pantry. (Photo Dolores Gould)

A recent profile by New York Mag’s Benjamin Wallace-Wells revealed what it was like to work with Romney. No one would ever curse or drink around him, and “they understood that his social life would be his family life,” although he never talked about his Mormonism. People saw him “as a handsome guy with a great handshake” …

…[H]e was also “an extremely hard worker and an egalitarian boss… [who] inspired intense loyalty, and there are still members of his circle who describe him as a perfect CEO.” Romney was a popular leader despite a reputation for frugality …

This admirable culture seems to have stuck.

This week Bain & Co was named the best company to work for in America by a longshot, rating 4.7 out of 5 on Glassdoor’s extensive survey.

(emphasis, image added)

Washington outsider job creator Romney is exactly what America needs.

► Jayde Wyatt

Congressman Tim Scott (R-SC)

I’ve been following South Carolina Congressman Tim Scott’s First in the South Presidential Town Hall Series since he announced it back on July 31, 2011. I’m happy to post the following press release from Scott (Gov Nikki Haley’s endorsement is a great lead-in for Romney!):

Tim Scott Announces Presidential Town Hall With Governor Romney

Congressman Tim Scott (R-SC) will host former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the next installment of his First in the South Presidential Town Hall Series, on December 17 at 9:15 am at Memminger Auditorium 56 Beaufain Street in Charleston. The Town Hall will follow the format of Scott’s previous events with Presidential candidates, allowing as many voters as possible the chance to ask Governor Romney a question. In addition to questions from the live audience, voters can submit their questions online at www.timstownhalls.com.

“I am honored to host Governor Romney in South Carolina,” said Congressman Scott. “In a year when creating jobs and getting our economy back on track is the foremost issue on voters’ minds, Mitt brings an impressive record of private sector experience to the race for President.”

“It is an honor to be able to participate in this town hall with Congressman Scott,” said Mitt Romney. “During his short time in Congress, Rep. Scott has already become a leader in the fight to shrink government and make government more accountable to the taxpayers. I look forward to being back in South Carolina and discussing with voters how we can get our economy back on track, stop the growth of government, and ensure that America remains the leading power in the world.”

The Town Hall, set to last 60 minutes, will begin at 9:15 am. Doors will open at 8:00 am, with seating on a first-come, first-served basis.

Governor Romney is the seventh candidate to participate in Rep. Tim Scott’s First in the South Presidential Town Hall Series, which brings 2012 Republican presidential candidates to South Carolina for discussions with grassroots voters. Previous town halls have been held in Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, and Horry counties.

The series is cosponsored by the Berkeley County GOP, the Beaufort County GOP, the Carolina Forest GOP, the Carolina Patriots, the Charleston County GOP, the Charleston Tea Party, the Dorchester County GOP, the Georgetown County GOP, the Georgetown Patriots, the Goose Creek 9/12, the Horry County GOP, the Horry County Young Republicans, the Mount Pleasant 9/12, the Myrtle Beach Tea Party, the North Myrtle Beach GOP, the Northern Horry County GOP, the South Strand GOP, the Summerville 9/12 and the Waccamaw Neck GOP.

“Our country is ready for a new beginning,” said Congressman Scott. “Our Town Hall Series gives South Carolina voters the opportunity to actively participate in that process, and make sure we get it right – as we have done in every Presidential election since choosing Ronald Reagan in 1980.”

For more information, or to submit a question to be asked of Governor Romney, please visit: www.timstownhalls.com.

(emphasis, image added)

From Congressman Scott’s first announcement of his town hall series:

In bringing together traditional Republican as well as Tea Party and grass roots groups, Scott emphasized the importance of uniting the Republican base:

“In my mind, there is no such thing as a Tea Party candidate, or an establishment candidate. There is only the right candidate – the man or woman who embodies our conservative values and who will lead our Party back to the White House.”

(my emphasis)

View previous town halls here.

Team Romney also announced they will start airing its first television ad in the Palmetto State about a month before the state’s Jan. 21 primary.

Governor Romney endorsed Scott in June 2010.

► Jayde Wyatt

UPDATE: Watch one of today’s South Carolina townhalls here.

October 29, 2010 - Governor Mitt Romney is pictured campaigning with then-SC gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley in Bamberg, South Carolina.

Governor Mitt Romney was awarded a BIG southern prize this morning…

Nikki Haley, Tea Party supported Governor of South Carolina, offered a rousing endorsement of Romney this morning on the FOX & Friends television program.

FOX News:

“Now more than ever, we need someone that has the leadership to deal with a broken Washington,” Haley said, adding that Romney to his credit is “not part of the chaos” in the nation’s capital.

Haley cited Romney’s experience turning companies around and shepherding the 2002 Winter Olympics. She also said it “says a lot” that he was able to govern effectively and balance the budget in Boston while Democrats were in charge of the legislature.

If nothing else, Haley said the flak Romney takes from President Obama’s team proves he’s the right candidate.

“Governor Romney is the one candidate that President Obama insistently tries to hit and get out of the way,” Haley said. “That lets me know he’s scared of him.”

Governor Haley will also serve as Co-Chair of Romney for President’s National Steering Committee.

“This was something that when I look at the focus of what every family cares about, it’s jobs, the economy and spending, and what I want is someone who is not part of…Washington. What I wanted was someone who knew what it was like to turn broken companies around – someone who had proven results by improving a failed Olympics that ended up being a great success story and someone that knows what it’s like to make a decision and lead, not just make a vote. And, Mitt Romney is that person, and I think now more than ever, we need someone that has the leadership to deal with a broken Washington in a way that we can get things done. And as governor of Massachusetts, what we saw is he balanced his budget, and he cut taxes 19 times with an 85 percent controlled Democrat legislature. That says a lot. That’s something that we need from a good conservative governor at this time.”

From Romney’s Press Office:
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE AND BACKGROUND ON GOVERNOR HALEY