The Men, Women Behind the Republican Presidential Candidates

Romney's right-hand man and the other halves of all the candidates.

While the Republican presidential race keeps on taking different turns with no clear road to the nomination, we at the Loop21 decided to take a look at the people behind the candidates who are running for office.

Here's a few of them:

Mitt Romney’s Campaign Manager – Matt Rhoades

The 36-year old republican road runner has been in the shadows for quite some time. His gimmick is his lack of media attention and want for it. He’s very much a behind the scenes guy, giving direction to Mitt Romney over the phone every day and subtly dodging the claws of the news reports. Apparently, he’s been this way since he was at the RNC. Following college at Syracuse, he took a job at the RNC and helped with the recount in Florida in 2000. Great.

His low profile speaks to his campaign strategy approach, keeping Mr. Romney very consistent, focused and disciplined, however ineffective it may be. If you’re interested in finding out more about him, you’ll be lucky if you ever get a quote out of him.

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Candidate’s Wives – Callista Gingrich, Ann Romney, and Karen Santorum

Being a first lady is more than looking pretty, it’s standing up and setting an example for women all over the world. Michelle Obama has taken the role of First Lady to another level; let’s take a look at the potential First Ladies.

Mrs. Gingrich was included because voters have yet to get a good chance to know her and form their own opinion of her yet. You could say she doesn’t matter but, in a time where the wives of presidents are much more than mute faces, her presence has some weight to it just like her husbands. 

Mary-Kaye, on the other hand, has been an active speaker in her husband’s pursuit for the executive office. She’s even given speeches during the campaign.  Ann has been able to bring out a more relatable side to Mr. Romney, holding his hand events and calling him “sweetie”. It seems like such an abrupt contrast to the machine-like Callista we’re shown.

You may have only been able to hear about Karen’s abortion fiasco. She’s been said to have dated an abortions doctor in the 80s. This comes at a perfect time, don’t you think? What we will say is that Karen has had her own share of challenges with their daughter’s illness. Whether she did have relations with the doctor, many people have applauded her and her husband’s strength thus far—campaigning and simultaneously dealing with family issues.