Washington - Mitt Romney, a Republican former governor of
the US state of Massachusetts, joined the 2008 race for president
Tuesday.
Romney, who served one-term as governor of the north-eastern
state, officially declared his candidacy at the Henry Ford Museum in
Dearborn, Michigan, his home state where his father served three
terms as governor.
In a speech in front of supporters, Romney, 59, tied the need for
innovation in US politics to the entrepreneurial spirit of Henry Ford
and Thomas Edison.
'It is time for innovation and transformation in Washington. It is
what our country needs. It is what our people deserve,' he said.
Romney began his career as a businessman and founded investment
and venture capital firm Bain Capital. He took over the 2002 Salt
Lake City Olympic Games Organizing Committee and was credited with
bringing the games back from a financial crisis and corruption
scandal.
Romney, a Mormon, will have to overcome concerns about his
religion, which some Christian groups consider outside the
mainstream. He also faces accusations that he has changed his
positions on social issues like abortion to appeal to conservatives
in the Republican party after governing a state that is generally
seen as liberal.
In his announcement Tuesday, Romney stressed that he is not a
Washington political insider and has experience transforming other
institutions.
'I do not believe Washington can be transformed from within by a
lifelong politician,' he said.
His speech also touched on foreign policy issues, saying the US
should continue to 'seek stability' in Iraq and should 'campaign for
freedom and democracy' in Latin America.
He will likely face Senator John McCain and former New York mayor
Rudy Giuliani for the Republican nomination, both of whom have formed
committees to examine a candidacy but have yet to make formal
announcements.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
USA
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