Matt Romney, the second oldest child of Mitt and Ann Romney, works as a Senior VP of Capital Markets for a notable retail-focused real estate investment trust called Excel Trust.

Like his brother Craig Romney, Matt and his wife live in San Diego, and they are the proud parents to five children.

Matt was the second of the Mitt Romney sons to obtain an undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University, where his focus was political science. He later earned an MBA from the Harvard School of Business, like his older brother, Tagg.

Why You Should Get to Know Matt Romney

While all of his accomplishments seem in line with the rest of the Romney children, Matt has given the public some pretty memorable moments. Some have been heartwarming, and others have been controversial. He writes about his adventures on twitter.

Matt’s Surprising Contribution to the Romney Campaign

Among a group of such accomplished and successful young men, Matt Romney has distinguished himself from his brothers as the most light-hearted and relatable member of the family. In fact, he is often described as the “coolest” Romney child, and he has led in the media when it comes to sharing amusing stories about his dad and the rest of the family.

Rather than focusing on a more political or strategic role, Matt has said that one of his most important activities is helping his dad loosen up before crucial debates by entertaining him with funny clips from YouTube or taking his mind off the event with games.

At a time when everyone else is desperate to give Mitt Romney advice, Matt holds himself back from offering his own suggestions, knowing that helping his dad stay relaxed is more important to his performance.

Matt even pranked his dad in 2008 when Mitt was concentrating his campaign efforts in Michigan. Knowing that his dad had already asked CA governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, for his support, Matt called pretending to be the heavily accented Austrian.

After playing a few soundboard quotes from the governor’s most famous moments in film, Mitt realized the caller was not sincere, and Matt eventually revealed himself to his dad. The infamous moment is a perfect example of Matt’s fun-loving nature and ability to lighten the mood.

The Controversial Statement that Made Headlines

As much as his lighthearted nature has helped his dad’s campaign, Matt Romney was also known at one time for making statements that may have done some damage.

When speaking at a retirement community in Concord early in the presidential race with the rest of the Mitt Romney sons, a local resident asked Matt if the public would be able to view his dad’s tax returns, something that is often asked of presidential candidates.

The Romney brothers all responded in agreement, saying that they weren’t sure if the tax documents would be produced. Matt Romney then joked that it was only a possibility if President Obama also produced material, including his grades from school and his birth certificate.

The joke was not well-received, and Tagg Romney, the oldest of the group, responded to the now infamous statement by denying that their father ever endorsed the idea.

The event was caught on video, and news of the gaffe soon went viral, as countless people began sharing the clip online. Matt’s unfortunate statement was even highlighted on ABC’s World News Tonight, and CNN aired it as well on their popular show, The Situation Room.

As soon as he realized how quickly the story was spreading, Matt commented on his joke, calling it “dumb”.

Matt Believes in his Dad’s Economic Policy. Do you?

When it comes to campaigning, Matt Romney has also done his fair share of supporting his dad’s political efforts. He recently garnered media attention for his visit to the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where he spoke to a large group of student Republicans along with the Young Americans for Romney at a downtown venue.

Although he has a playful disposition during anxious moments on the campaign trail, Matt tackles tougher issues, like the economy, in his message to voters. He believes his dad’s proven experience and understanding of what it takes to produce jobs have been the factor creating public excitement about Mitt’s potential in the White House.

Matt has responded to the political climate by focusing on his dad’s plan for reducing unemployment and spreading the enthusiasm as far as he can.

Matt Romney has also not been shy about sharing the personal accomplishments of his dad. He sees the importance of Mitt sharing credentials and offering examples of past success to voters, but he also understands that his dad isn’t always comfortable sharing personal stories himself.

He has reacted to Mitt’s reluctance to brag by freely sharing the narratives that the public might not hear otherwise.

The Reason Matt Romney Stands behind Mitt’s Character

When it comes to supporting his dad’s character, Matt Romney may have had the best opportunity to reach voters and benefit the presidential nominee when he spoke to the public during the Republican National Convention.

At the time, the Romney camp believed it was more necessary than ever for the family to emphasize Mitt’s character, as the Obama campaign had released a considerable amount of unfavorable ads against Romney in the months preceding the convention.

Instead of discussing Mitt’s plans for the economy as he normally might have, Matt focused his speech on painting a picture of his dad that accurately depicted the man he knows behind the scenes.

To introduce a personal story, Matt began by describing his dad as a man who “likes to fix things,” and he goes on to explain that his nature as a fixer translates to all areas of his life.

During one moment in particular, Matt learned the value of this quality in his dad. At the time, Matt’s wife was going through labor with their first child, and Matt was passing time next to her bed by looking through a book.

Mitt, who felt his daughter-in-law needed more support, reprimanded Matt’s behavior and immediately took action.

According to Matt, it took his father just under a full hour to transform the situation by carrying a television to the delivery room, building a stand to hold it, hooking up the TV’s cable, and directing other members of the family to take care of additional tasks that would make her even more comfortable.

Matt recalled being embarrassed about the way he reacted to the situation, but he also pointed out how important the learning experience proved to be to him as a young husband.

In another story, he emphasized his father’s ability to act quickly and make good decisions during times of stress.

>> Click here to read more about Josh Romney.

As a younger man, Matt Romney was a fan of surfing, but his interest in the sport almost killed him at the age of 16 when he got into an accident. He recalled in his impactful speech that his father was the only person who acted immediately by jumping down a steep embankment and pulling him in, saving Matt Romney from drowning in the process.