Ann Romney: Mitt’s ‘soul mate’

Washington: A young Mitt Romney probably had other things on his mind than running for the White House when he threw pebbles at a girl called Ann Lois Davies as she rode past him on a horse.. He was a Cub Scout at the time, still in elementary school, but the future Ann Romney made a lasting impression. They started dating in high school and married in 1969.. Forty-three years and five children later, Ann Romney, 63, is a tireless campaigner for her husband’s bid for the US presidency, striving to show the nation that he has a more human side than his wooden style suggests.. Ann Romney was born on April 16, 1949, to father Edward Davies, co-founder of Jered Industries, and mother Lois Davies. She was raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where she attended a private school for girls called Kingswood School. . Originally Episcopalian, Romney converted to Mormonism in 1966 while Mitt was on missionary duty in France. His father, George Romney, baptized her. Her brother and mother would also convert to Mormonism later on. . Romney attended Brigham Young University on her graduation from high school, where she studied French. She married her husband in 1969 and became a stay-at-home mother for their five sons. Marriage and motherhood slowed her academic progress, but she received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in French in 1975. . Romney became involved with her husband’s campaigning when he sought political office for the first time in 1994, running for the Senate position of Massachusetts. Her husband lost the race, and at that time Romney reportedly said that she would never be involved with political campaigning again.. HEALTH. In 1997 Romney was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, but through a combination of Eastern and Western medical practices has been able to live a life largely unimpeded by the disease. In 2008 she was diagnosed with a non-invasive type of breast cancer. She had a lumpectomy and has been cancer-free since. . Romney became the First Lady of Massachusetts in 2002 when her husband won the gubernatorial elections. She maintained a mostly low profile, although she worked to prevent teen pregnancies and was also the head of an office designed to help faith-based groups get federal funding. . Throughout her time in the public eye, Romney has been active in raising awareness of multiple sclerosis. A board member of the New England chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, she has said that if she becomes first lady of the United States she would work on behalf of those afflicted with the disease. She also addressed the Senate on the issue in…. Romney was involved with her husband’s campaign for president in 2008 and in his campaign this year. She gave a speech at the Republican National Convention in September in Florida, where she focused on women’s difficulties in a weak economy. This was particularly important because the Republican party had been accused by Democrats of waging a "war on women" through their attempts to push anti-abortion legislation and cut off federal funding for organizations that provide these services. . "You can trust Mitt," she told the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida in August. "He loves America. He will take us to a better place... This man will not let us down. This man will lift up America.". Romney gained national prominence during the Republican primaries in April when Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen snickered on national television how the well-to-do Romney "actually never worked a day in her life.". "I made a choice to stay home and raise five boys," Romney riposted unapologetically in her first-ever post on Twitter. "Believe me, it was hard work.". Republicans and the media have also looked to Romney to improve her husband’s image, especially in the early stages of the campaign where he was described stiff and out-of-touch. Her RNC speech may have been the best opportunity for her to do that, and she described their love for each other during the speech.. As part of her recovery from MS, Romney took up horse-riding. She became proficient in the sport, winning awards in on the national level in the adult amateur group. She also owns horses, one of which competed in the 2012 London Olympics. . In the ensuing months of campaigning, Romney grew fiercely protective of her husband, telling his critics within the Republican party to "stop it" and declaring the nation needs a "grown-up" like Mitt in the Oval Office.. The Romneys routinely call each other "sweetie" and hold each other’s hands, and their squeaky-clean and loving family life - built on Mormon values - is a clear vote-winner among traditionalists.. "You can see she keeps him grounded," one voter, Greg Hampton, observed at a Romney rally in Colorado in February. The candidate himself has described her as his "soul mate.". Her campaigning has not been perfect, however, notably when she said earlier this year: "I don’t even consider myself wealthy.". Such comments played into the hands of President Barack Obama’s allies, who allege that the Romneys’ wealth puts them out of touch with ordinary Americans dealing with the aftermath of recession.. If she becomes first lady, Romney intends to build upon her involvement in faith-based and community organizations during the time Mitt was Massachusetts’ governor.. "Ann Romney will continue to focus attention on the challenges facing at-risk youth, raise awareness for debilitating diseases, including multiple sclerosis and breast cancer," the Romney campaign says.. "And she will continue to help demonstrate how strong families are vital to strong communities and a strong country.". - With inputs from AFP