Former Massachusetts Gov. and 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney will give the keynote address at Jacksonville University’s commencement in Florida on April 25, the school announced Wednesday.
Mr. Romney, who is considering running for president again in 2016, will also receive an honorary degree.
“We are delighted to offer our students the opportunity to hear from one of the leading figures in industry and public service of the past three decades,” said JU President Tim Cost. “Gov. Romney has established an outstanding track record of accomplishments, and is sure to offer insight and inspiration to our campus community.”
In laying out Mr. Romney’s biography, the university noted that as Massachusetts governor, he “passed landmark health care legislation for his state and helped eliminate a $1.2 million budget deficit.” His support for the state’s health care law, which some have credited for laying the foundation for Obamacare, could once again be an issue for GOP primary voters if Mr. Romney takes another shot at the White House.
He is also scheduled to speak at Mississippi State University later this month, which also mentioned his signing into law “a private, market-based reform that ensures every Massachusetts citizen will have health care insurance” in its announcement.
Both schools also highlighted his time in the private sector at Bain Capital, for which he was roundly criticized by Democrats and some fellow Republicans in 2012, and his overseeing the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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