Profile Mitt Romney

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Profile: Mitt Romney, Republican presidential nominee

Mitt Romney hails from a prominent political family — his father, George, was an automotive executive, the 43rd governor of Michigan, Republican candidate for president, and a cabinet member under Richard Nixon. Romney began his college studies at Stanford University, but left to embark on a Mormon mission to France. When he returned, he completed his degree at Brigham Young University and later earned a joint M.B.A/J.D. from Harvard University. At Bain & Company, where he was given the opportunity to head a spin-off private equity firm, Bain Capital. According to a June 2012 financial report from the Romney campaign, his net worth is somewhere between $190 million and $250 million. In 1994, Romney made an unsuccessful bid for Ted Kennedy's Massachusetts Senate seat. Five years later, Romney was brought on as the president of the organizing committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, an appointment designed to bring the beleaguered games back under budget.

As governor of Massachusetts, Romney was the architect of a state health reform law requiring residents to obtain a minimum of insurance coverage. Romney made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008.

Age:	65
Education:	B.A., Brigham Young University, 1971; J.D./M.B.A., Harvard University, 1975
Elected office:	Governor of Massachusetts, 2003-2007
Professional career:	CEO of private equity firm
Religion:	Mormon
Marital status:	Married to Ann Davies Romney
Children:	Tagg, Matthew, Joshua, Benjamin, and Craig

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Profile: Mitt Romney on the issues

Jobs Romney has a 59-page plan that leans on a series of reforms to tax, budgetary, energy, trade, regulatory and labor policies to spur job creation. Read the whole plan here.

Taxes Romney wants to cut the corporate tax rate to 25 percent and maintain personal income tax levels past their expiration date in 2013. Romney also wants to eliminate taxes on investment income for taxpayers making less than $200,000.

Budget Romney would seek in immediate cut in non-defense discretionary spending by 5 percent. Beyond that, he'd seek to cap government spending at 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, along with a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution.

Regulations Romney supports repealing the recent Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform legislation, and would pursue tort reform.

Entitlement programs Romney would transform Medicaid into a block grant program for states, but is less specific about his plans for Social Security and Medicare; he's suggested possibly raising the retirement age or means-testing benefits as possible Social Security reforms.

Health care reform Romney supports the repeal of President Obama's health care reform law, and has said he would sign an executive order on his first day as president to undo many aspects of the law.

Foreign policy Romney's foreign policy would reverse defense cuts, and boost funding for the Navy and missile defense programs. He would order a full review of the transition out of Afghanistan, and work to deter threatening nations like Iran while enhancing partnerships with friendly nations, in part through economic incentives.

Immigration Romney opposes in-state college tuition for the children of illegal immigrants, and supports building a fence along the border with Mexico, staffed by enough armed guards to secure it.

Energy/Environment Romney would direct the Department of Energy to review domestic energy production capacity. On the environment, Romney would seek a re-write of the Clean Air Act to bar regulation of carbon emissions, and encourage new nuclear energy.

Abortion Romney considers himself in opposition to abortion rights and has pledged to appoint jurists who share a similar legal view.

Same-sex marriage Romney says marriage should be between one man and one woman, and that this determination should be made at the federal level.

Climate change Not available

Information from nbc.com