Mitt Romney Gets the Backing of John Sununu

John Sununu helped George H.W. Bush bounce back from a disappointing third-place finish in the Iowa caucus to win the New Hampshire primary in 1988. Former Gov. Mitt Romney hopes that the old Sununu magic can help him win the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.

Romney announced on Monday that Sununu, who served as governor of the Granite State and White House chief of staff under Bush, was backing his presidential bid. Sununu, who hosted "Crossfire" on CNN and served as chairman of the New Hampshire state GOP after leaving the Bush White House, will be the chairman of Romneys national steering committee and will advise the campaign on policy. Sununu is the father of John E. Sununu, who served in the U.S. Senate from New Hampshire for a term before losing his seat to Democrat Jeanne Shaheen in 2008.

I am deeply appreciative of Governor Sununus friendship and support, said Romney in a statement released on Monday. Governor Sununu is one of the most respected public servants in New Hampshire and he has stood for the values embodied by Granite Staters: hard work, individualism, and fiscal responsibility. His advice and counsel will be important as I work to earn support from voters in the Granite State and work to fix our troubled economy.

Im supporting Governor Romney because he is a solid conservative who is committed to reducing taxes, cutting spending and preserving Americas military strength. Mitt has served as a governor, had a successful career in the private sector, and acquired the executive experience needed to turn around our economy and fix our broken government, said Sununu. He has demonstrated that he is the strongest candidate to take on President Obama in 2012 and restore fiscal sanity to Washington.