WOLFEBORO, N.H. (AP) – Mitt Romney’s wife has confirmed a tidbit about the vice presidential search process her husband largely has been keeping secret: He’s considering choosing a woman.

“We’ve been looking at that, and I love that option as well,” Ann Romney told CBS News in a joint interview with her husband that was broadcast Thursday. She added: “There’s a lot of people that Mitt is considering right now.”

The disclosure came as the Republican presidential candidate, vacationing with his family at their lakeside estate in Wolfeboro, faced mounting criticism from inside the party about the state of his campaign.