Mitt Romney boosts Thom Tillis in North Carolina Senate race

In the closing days of his campaign, North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Thom Tillis is benefiting from some high-profile help.

An ad released Wednesday by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the powerful business lobby, features 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney praising Tillis and urging voters to support his candidacy.

"If you want to shake up Washington, then you candidate is Thom Tillis," Romney says in the ad. "Thom will roll up his sleeves and go right to work on solving the mess of Obamacare, and help our struggling economy create good jobs."

"From paperboy to short order cook to executive of one of America's great companies, Thom Tillis has proved he can get the job done," Romney adds.

Tillis, currently the speaker of North Carolina's State House, was formerly a partner with accounting giant PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Tillis' campaign against incumbent Sen. Kay Hagan is one of the closest races in the country, with both candidates neck and neck as they approach the finish line. A CBS News/New York Times analysis released last week showed Hagan narrowly ahead, 44 to 41 percent. Republicans need a net gain of six seats to seize the Senate majority.

Romney will campaign with Tillis in Raleigh on Wednesday afternoon.