Romney Campaign Press Release - Fmr. NH State Senate President Ed Dupont Endorses Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney today announced the endorsement of former New Hampshire State Senate President and current University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees Chairman Ed Dupont.

"For years, Ed Dupont has served New Hampshire as a State Senator and a leader in New Hampshire's higher education community," said Mitt Romney. "I look forward to working with Ed to spread my pro-growth message across the Granite State and to reverse the failed Obama policies that have devastated our economy."

"As a successful businessman, Mitt Romney turned around struggling enterprises and helped create thousands of private sector jobs. As a fiscally conservative governor, he balanced budgets, cut taxes 19 times and restructured state government," said Dupont. "I am proud to endorse Mitt's candidacy because he is the strongest and most qualified candidate to take on President Obama and fix our economy."

Background On Ed Dupont:

Ed Dupont Is President And Founder Of The Dupont Group. Ed Dupont founded and owned Strafford Fuels for over 20 years before selling the business in 1994. Dupont served five terms in the New Hampshire State Senate, beginning in 1983. While in the Senate, Ed served as Senate Majority Leader and Vice-Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. In 1990, Ed was elected President of the Senate. During his tenure as Senate President, he established and chaired the first standing legislative committee on economic development in New Hampshire history. Under his leadership, the legislature established the state's economic development fund; provided research and development assistance for emerging companies; adopted initiatives to stimulate capital formation; and reformed the state's Business Profits Tax (BPT) to include tax credits for job creation and capital investment.

Since leaving the Senate, Ed has continued his involvement in both the public and private sectors, serving on the boards of a number of organizations. He currently serves as a director on the boards of Merchantbanc, a venture capital firm based in Manchester NH; and Martin's Point, a health care firm based in Maine and NH. In June of this year, he was re-elected Chair of the University System of New Hampshire's Board of Trustees. He is president and founder of The Dupont Group, based in Concord.

Ed has had a life-long interest in aviation and is an instrument rated private pilot. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Durham, NH.