Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States Senator from Utah since 2019. He served as the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and was the Republican presidential nominee in the 2012 election, losing to Barack Obama. He was also a Republican presidential candidate in 2008, a race in which he was a rival to Mike Huckabee in the primaries. A former private equity executive, he founded and joined Bain Capital, where he built his business background. He is known for his moderate conservative views, representing establishment conservatism and often clashing with the party's populist faction. His positions are particularly pronounced on economics and foreign policy, where he advocates for strong U.S. leadership abroad, including hawkish foreign policy positions. He is a prominent figure in the Republican Party and a leader in conservative and Mormon circles. He has been a recipient of political donations from the donor Paul Singer, who provided over $100 million in support for Romney's 2012 presidential run.