Romney accepts GOP presidential nomination - WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports

TAMPA (WKOW) -- Mitt Romney is now officially the Republican nominee for president.

Romney accepted the GOP nomination during a speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention.

Romney says America deserves the hope and change President Barack Obama promised when he took office, but the president didn't deliver and now it's time to move on from the disappointment.

After introductions by actor Clint Eastwood and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Romney took the stage and said his promise is to help voters and their families.

Romney criticized President Obama's economic record and talked about his own business experience, saying "Business and growing jobs is about taking risk, sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding but always striving. It's about dreams."

Romney went on to say he has a plan to create 12 million new jobs that involves several steps, including energy independence, giving people the skills they need to be successful in the workforce, reducing taxes on businesses and repealing the federal health care law.