As Willard M. Romney's campaign plows ahead toward the Republican nomination for president, little-known details on his personal background are popping up.
On the campaign trail, for instance, he'll gladly chat about his huge family. But what about his Mexican cousins? It's a branch he ignores in public.
NBC News correspondent Mike Taibbi filed a fascinating report on Rock Center with Brian Williams, profiling Romney's relatives who are Mexican citizens. In 1885, Romney's Mormon great-grandfather, Miles Park Romney, fled from the United States to Mexico in order to escape prosecution for practicing polygamy. His own father was born there and went on to become the governor of Michigan — the quintessential poster boy for the Dream Act. About 40 cousins still live south of the border, and directly oppose cousin Willard on his own anti-Dream Act stance.
Earlier today, Romney's campaign released a new TV ad, en español, reaching out to Spanish-speaking voters in Florida.