Governor Stays Neutral as Father, Brother Back Romney

The brother and father of Governor Bill Haslam will both be part of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s team in Tennessee.

The governor has so far remained neutral in the current GOP nomination fight, though in 2008 he also backed Romney. In recent months Governor Haslam has said repeatedly he wasn’t close to endorsing a candidate, but that his family might.

“You know when you have an active, involved family that happens, and a lot of times people get involved in things. They’re grown-ups who get to make their own decisions, so really on this one I haven’t said ‘please don’t get involved.’”

Haslam’s administration also has ties to Romney: economic development commissioner Bill Hagerty was national finance chair for Romney’s campaign in 2008.