Phil Handy Joins Mitt Romney's Team

Republican presidential candidate former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts announced on Tuesday that Phil Handy would be joining his team as co-chair of his Florida Advisory Committee and of his National Education Policy Committee.

I am pleased to earn the support of Phil Handy, said Romney in a statement. Phil will be critical to my campaign in Florida and will be a trusted adviser on education policy. I look forward to working with him as I reach out to voters in Florida and across the country.

President Obama and his policies have failed to deliver promised results to the American people, saidHandy. Mitt Romneys leadership is needed today more than ever. His record as governor of Massachusetts and experience in the private sector gives me great confidence that he can put our country back on the path to prosperity. He understands the important connection between Americas global economic competitiveness and world-class schools.As governor, he emphasized innovation and results at the state level and guided Massachusetts to distinction as a national leader in education.

Handy headed Jeb Bushs gubernatorial bids as campaign chairman in 1994 and 1998 and as campaign co-chairman in 2002. In recent years, Handy served as state chairman for John McCains presidential bid in 2008, and was a state chairman and national finance co-chairman for former Gov. Tim Pawlentys presidential campaign which ended in August.