During 2004 , Romney spent considerable effort trying to bolster the state Republican Party , but the party failed to gain any seats in the state legislative elections that year . Given a prime-time appearance at the 2004 Republican National Convention , political figures began discussing him as a potential 2008 presidential candidate . Midway through his term , Romney decided that he wanted to stage a full-time run for president , and on December 14 , 2005 , he announced that he would not seek re-election for a second term as governor . As chair of the Republican Governors Association , Romney traveled around the country , meeting prominent Republicans and building a national political network ; he spent more than 200 days out of state during 2006 , preparing for his run
2004 Republican National Convention
2004 Republican National Convention
Mitt Romney