Echoes of the 2012 presidential election were felt in the Rhode Island gubernatorial race last week.

A day after President Barack Obama gave his backing to Democratic nominee and General Treasurer Gina Raimondo, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney appeared with Republican nominee and Cranston Mayor Allan Fung in Providence.

Obama had planned to visit the Ocean State on Oct. 16 for an address at Rhode Island College regarding the economy, but cancelled the trip to remain in Washington, D.C. and focus on the Ebola crisis. On Oct. 15 his office released a statement in support of Raimondo.

“I’m proud to endorse Gina Raimondo to be the next governor of Rhode Island,” reads a statement from the president. “I am working to make sure our economic recovery reaches every state and every person who is willing to work hard to get ahead, and Gina shares these values. Gina has the business experience to create jobs, a real plan for how to do it and the ability to bring people together to solve tough problems. Rhode Island middle class families need a proven champion who can put politics aside and get results. That’s the kind of governor Gina will be.”

On Oct. 17, Romney, who had officially endorsed Fung just prior to the Sept. 9 Republican primary vote, took part in a fundraiser for the Cranston mayor at the Biltmore Hotel. According to the Fung campaign, over 200 supporters were in attendance, and the event took in slightly more than $50,000. Following that gathering, the two men met with members of the media for roughly 10 minutes.

“I know [Fung] will do everything in his power to help people get better jobs and better incomes and also work to get the schools to be the kind of schools they need to be,” Romney said. “People deserve to have equal opportunity in education, and Allan Fung is someone who understands the importance of helping our schools get better and doing what we can to make a state more attractive and competitive so that small businesses are able to grow and thrive…That’s what the campaign is about, helping people who need that kind of help. And I’m pleased to endorse someone who’s proved himself as the mayor- and is about to prove himself as the governor.”

Fung said he was “very honored” to have Romney’s support. The Cranston mayor made reference to his announcement of Rhode Island’s delegate count for Romney at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.

“I’m privileged to have him here today talking to our supporters, making sure we have the right message out there to turn our state around,” Fung said. “He’s done a lot of that in Massachusetts, and we’re going to do that in Rhode Island.”

Questioned regarding the possibility of another presidential bid, Romney quickly responded that he has no plans to that effect.

“I’m not running, I’m not planning on running, and that’s all I’ve got on that story,” he said.

The two men also took questions on the Ebola situation during the press conference. Romney was sharply critical of the federal response thus far.

“This is astonishing to me, that there has been malpractice on the part of the CDC,” he said, calling for a travel ban to be put in place for the affected countries in West Africa.

Fung called Ebola a “very serious public health and safety issue,” and said effective communication is vital to the response.

Asked specifically regarding a travel ban, Fung said officials have “got to consider all options at this point.”

Likely 2016 presidential contenders are also making their presence felt in the governor’s race. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is scheduled to campaign with Raimondo on Friday, Oct. 24 at Rhode Island Colleges’ Recreation Center during what the campaign has dubbed a “Rebuilding the Middle Class” event.

“I am thrilled that Hillary Clinton will be joining me in Rhode Island next week to talk about fixing our economy,” Raimondo said in a press release regarding the visit. “She is a long-time champion for middle class families, and Rhode Island is in a jobs crisis. To rebuild our economy we need a good environment for business and a good environment for workers. We can’t have more of the same failed economic theories that helped get us into this mess, and I am excited to discuss how we are going to turn this economy around in a way that helps everybody.”

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who serves as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, made a campaign stop with Fung in Johnston earlier this month and indicated his plans to make one or two more visits to the Ocean State ahead of election day.