Romney Campaign Press Release - Mitt Romney Announces Endorsement of Former Governor Pete Wilson and Names Him Honorary California Chair

Mitt Romney today announced the endorsement of Governor Pete Wilson and named him Honorary California Chair.

"I'm honored to have Governor Pete Wilson's support, because he's one of California's most accomplished leaders. As governor of California from 1991 to 1999, he led California from the depths of recession to prosperous economic recovery. Taking office with an inherited revenue gap of over $14 million, he left his successor a surplus of over $12.5 million. Insisting on strict budget discipline and rehabilitation of the state's then-hostile environment toward investment and job creation, Pete persuaded Democratic Legislative majorities to enact dramatic tax and regulatory relief especially helpful to small businesses."

Announcing his support, Governor Wilson said, "Mitt Romney is an enthusiastic believer in American exceptionalism and has been a spectacular example of it: Mitt has been a success in creating American private sector jobs, a success as the rescuer of the Salt Lake City Olympic games, and as a public chief executive as the Republican governor in the challenging environment of heavily Democratic Massachusetts. It is clear that he will be a success in the White House---as the strong leader America so desperately needs to reverse the unprecedented and utterly irresponsible borrowing, taxing and spending of the Obama administration. And as the most electable top of our ticket, his candidacy will attract the support of Republican, Independent and wise Democratic voters---and is rightly seen by down-ticket Republican candidates as the nominee most beneficial to them in their own races. He is the leader we need to rescue this great nation from the tragedy of a second Obama term that threatens grave and perhaps irreparable harm to both our economy and our national security. Mitt Romney will provide the leadership to create the confidence and certainty of judgment needed to stimulate investment that creates jobs rather than green taxpayer-funded bankruptcies. He will restore America's strength and credibility, and win back respect for America from both our friends and our enemies."

Background on Pete Wilson:

Pete Wilson served as the 36th governor of California (1991—1999), the culmination of more than three decades of public service that included eight years as a United States Senator (1983—1991), eleven years as Mayor of San Diego (1971—1982) and four years as a California State Assemblyman (1967—1971). Governor Wilson is a Principal with the Bingham Consulting Group as well as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow of the Herbert Hoover Institution at Stanford University. A United States Marine, he also serves on the Board of Trustees for the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana.