Romney Campaign Press Release - Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President

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Boston, MA – Governor Mitt Romney today announced that Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter has endorsed his candidacy for President of the United States. Sheriff Hunter joins a strong and growing team in Southwest Florida led by U.S. Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL), a Chair of Governor Romney's Florida Statewide Steering Committee.

"Sheriff Hunter is a respected leader in the Florida law enforcement community and has been on the forefront of working to curb illegal immigration in the state. I am pleased to have his support," said Governor Romney. "We agree that illegal immigration is a critical issue for our country. We need to ensure our existing immigration laws are enforced and end "sanctuary city" policies that encourage illegal immigration. Our focus should be on securing the border, implementing a tamperproof employment verification system and ensuring there is no special pathway to citizenship for those that come here illegally."

"I have had an opportunity to look at the records of other candidates, and it is clear that Governor Romney is the candidate with the most impressive record of accomplishment in the public and private sectors and the strongest record of enforcing our immigration laws," said Sheriff Hunter. "As Governor of Massachusetts, he worked with the federal government to allow Massachusetts state troopers to enforce federal immigration laws, vetoed in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for illegal immigrants, promoted English immersion in the education system and opposed driver's licenses for illegal immigrants. I am proud to endorse Governor Romney for President of the United States and know his conservative leadership will steer our country in the right direction."

In addition to Congressman Mack, Governor Romney's Florida Statewide Steering Committee is led by former Lieutenant Governor Toni Jennings, former Speakers of the House Allan Bense and John Thrasher, Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson, former Chairman of the Florida Republican Party Al Cardenas and U.S. Congressman Tom Feeney (R-FL). Additional Co-Chairs include St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, State Representatives Anitere Flores and Trey Traviesa, former Representatives Dennis Baxley and Dudley Goodlette, David Griffin, former Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood and former Senator and Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida Van Poole. U.S. Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) also serves as a member of Governor Romney's Congressional Whip Team.

Background On Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter:

Don Hunter was elected Sheriff of Collier County in 1988, and subsequently re-elected in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004. Born in Tallahassee, Florida, Sheriff Hunter has been a resident of Collier County since 1961. A graduate of The Florida State University, Sheriff Hunter has been with the Collier County Sheriff's Office since 1979. Previously, Don Hunter was the Regional Administrator for the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (Department of Justice, Law Enforcement Assistance Administration), State Planning Region IX.

Sheriff Hunter is presently a member of the National Sheriff's Association, the Florida Sheriff's Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Military Intelligence Association, and the Police Executives Research Forum. He participated in the Harvard University's Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government. Sheriff Hunter has been an instructor at the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute, Center for Executive Studies, and is a member of the Institute's Policy Board.

Sheriff Hunter is a council member of the Florida Criminal and Juvenile Justice Information Systems Council and serves as the Statewide Intelligence Chair of the Florida Domestic Security Council. He has also previously co-chaired the Southwest Florida Domestic Security Task Force and the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation and served on the Board of Directors for the Florida Sheriff's Association and the Parole Commission Nomination Board. He is a current Commissioner of the international Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation (CALEA).

In 2002, Sheriff Hunter was named "Sheriff of the Year" by the S.W. Florida Crime Prevention Association and named "Best Elected Official" by Gulfshore Life Magazine.

Sheriff Hunter's community activities have included membership in the North Naples Rotary, Leadership Collier, Collier County Partners in Education, Boy Scouts of America, Ricky King Fund and the Leukemia Society.