Endorsements in the 2012 Republican Party presidential primaries  This article is a list of endorsements made by members of the 112th United States Congress and other elected officials during the 2012 Republican Party presidential primaries. Endorsements of statesmen and celebrities are also important to candidates. Late in the Republican race cycle, Romney toured Israel and Poland after a visit to the London 2012 Olympics. He received the endorsement of former President of Poland Lech Wałęsa, and soon after, the endorsement of actor and Second Amendment proponent Clint Eastwood. The winning of endorsements, also known as the Endorsement Race or Endorsement Derby, is argued to be a vital feature of the United States presidential race and the political party system.