Craig Romney lit up the headquarters of the county Republican Party Thursday afternoon when he stopped in to tell volunteers about his father, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

His father is “a man of tremendous character and integrity,” Craig Romney told about 40 volunteers and supporters, many of whom paused in making campaign phone calls to listen.

Craig Romney made the visit a personal one, recounting several family stories about him, his father and his family.

One memorable time that exemplified his father’s depth of humanity was what he did many years ago when one of his employees’ daughters went missing, Craig Romney said. While his father was a businessman in Boston, he shut down a company he was running so he could take his 40 or so employees to New York City to look for a missing daughter of one of his workers, Craig Romney said.

The few dozen employees “policed the city,” Craig Romney said, and ultimately authorities found the girl in New Jersey thanks to the help of Romney’s employees.

“It’s really a testament to my dad, what her dad said: ‘Without his help, I don’t think they would have found her,'” Craig Romney said.

But his ultimate message to supporters was to work as though their lives depended on it, through the Nov. 6 election.

“We have plenty of time to sleep on Nov. 7. Until then, we need you to do everything you can,” Craig Romney told them.

Local Democrats, including county party chair Kathleen Ricker and Senate Majority Leader John Morse, led a press conference of their own, which they called Mitt Romney a liar and a flip-flopper.

“He’s a closer, and he will say anything he needs to, to close the deal,” said Ricker.

She and Morse, along with former Republican congresswoman Claudine Schneider, attacked Romney over his positions on women’s issues, and said that if he wins, the landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade may be endangered.

Romney and any potential Supreme Court appointees he may make could “take away the rights we fought for so hard in the 70’s,” Ricker said.

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s youngest son Craig Romney visited the El Paso Victory Center to fire up volunteers and flip some burgers Thursday, October 18, 2012. Michael Ciaglo/The Gazette Photo by MICHAEL CIAGLO, THE GAZETTE

MICHAEL CIAGLO

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s youngest son Craig Romney pets Sally before posing with her owner Calandra Vargas. Romney visited the El Paso Victory Center to fire up volunteers and flip some burgers Thursday, October 18, 2012. Michael Ciaglo/The Ga Photo by MICHAEL CIAGLO, THE GAZETTE

MICHAEL CIAGLO