John Rakolta, the chairman of the Detroit-based Walbridge construction firm, has spent half his time for the past two years working on Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, according to Nolan Finley of the Detroit News.
For Rakolta it's his second Romney for President campaign, and he says he's involved for two reasons.
First is "a desire to help create change. I think our country has become uncompetitive, and we need a president who will reward freedom, hard work and risk. This is my way of doing something to leave a better world for my kids and grandkids."
And second is his affection for Mitt Romney, a friend and shirttail relative.
Rakolta met Romney in 1973 while dating his future wife, Terri. Her sister, Ronna, was married to Romney's brother and Rakolta's best fiend, Scott Romney. What began as a casual friendship deepened over the years, particularly after Rakolta converted to Mormonism when he and Terri got engaged, and endured even after Scott and Ronna divorced.
