He’s back!
Former Massachusetts Governor and Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced his candidacy for Senate Friday morning.
Romney made his announcement via campaign ad on social media:
I am running for United States Senate to serve the people of Utah and bring Utah's values to Washington. pic.twitter.com/TDkas6gD2p
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) February 16, 2018
Early last month, Utah’s senior Senator, Orrin Hatch, announced his plans to retire at the end of his current term, leaving the field wide open for Romney.
Romney should be a lock for the seat. Utah remembers Romney’s work saving the 2002 Olympics and seems willing to give him a go in the DC big house.
Romney has sky-high popularity in Utah, held over from his 2012 run and from rescuing SLC Olympics in 2002. He’ll be extremely well-funded. Would be VERY tough/suicidal for a Bannonite to challenge in primary.
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) January 2, 2018
If his first ad is an indicator of campaign direction, Romney will likely draw contrasts between Utah and D.C., specifically and intentionally avoiding any direct criticism of Trump.
According to several reports, Trump attempted to persuade Sen. Hatch to run for an eighth term, partially to ice Romney out of a Senate seat. Romney, who’s popular in Utah, expressed interest in running for the seat in the event Hatch retired. Politico reported a few months ago:
Donald Trump is going all out to persuade seven-term Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch to seek reelection — a push aimed in no small part at keeping the president’s longtime nemesis, Mitt Romney, out of the Senate.
Romney has been preparing to run for Hatch’s seat on the long-held assumption that the 83-year-old would retire. Yet Hatch, the longest-serving Republican senator in history, is now refusing to rule out another campaign — a circumstance Romney’s infuriated inner circle blames squarely on the president. Their suspicions are warranted: Trump has sounded off to friends about how he doesn’t like the idea of a Sen. Romney.
The president’s mostly behind-the-scenes campaign to sway Hatch will burst into public view on Monday, when he arrives in Salt Lake City to hold a well-choreographed event designed to showcase his affection for the powerful Senate Finance Committee chairman.
Trump’s appearance is ostensibly official in purpose: He will announce his decision to reduce the size of Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand-Staircase Escalante national monuments, a cause that Hatch has championed. But it’s also undeniably political: to use the trappings of presidential power to get a veteran lawmaker to rethink his long anticipated plans to leave the Senate.
A New York Times report published last month indicates that Trump may be warming to the idea of a Senator Romney:
The president has had Mr. Romney on his mind. Over golf earlier this year, Mr. Trump asked Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, what he thought of the former Republican nominee. (Mr. Graham said he praised Mr. Romney and predicted he would be a solid senator.)
Mr. Romney repeatedly assailed the president during the 2016 campaign, calling Mr. Trump “a fraud,” and Mr. Trump returned the favor, stating that Mr. Romney “choked like a dog” in the 2012 race. The two had something of a rapprochement after the election when Mr. Romney was briefly considered as secretary of state, but White House advisers are uneasy about having such a well-known critic in the Senate.
This race should be fun. The conflict won’t be in the race itself (well-liked, well-funded Republican running in a solid red state isn’t much competition) but amongst the self-professed political-media elites and their previous reporting on Romney.
Romney was fabulously critical of candidate Trump, calling him a “fraud” and a “phony”, harsh words from a usually (too) kind soul. Should be a point for Romney in the eyes of the press. Buuuttttt, he’s also a Republican, bearing the scarlet R. Not to mention the fact that he once killed a woman dead by giving her cancer when he wasn’t busy stuffing women into binders.
How they press will square their love of Trump-criticism with a candidate they once bent over backward to destroy should be entertaining at the very least.
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Comments
I will not be voting for him. And while it may be a losing proposition, I will be actively fighting against him in the Primaries.
1) It feels like he and Hatch orchestrated this. Hatch: I will only retire if Romney agrees to run. After all, it is MY seat to bestow where and when I will. Romney: I agree.
2) Romney may have familial and religious ties to Utah, but he is not a Utahn, and he IS an east-coast liberal in GOPe clothes.
3) I like what Trump is doing (mostly), and I like Mike Lee. Romney has not been supportive of either.
Romney isn’t running to be Senator, he’s running to become Nunzio to Washington from the Mormon Vatican. And he’s already got the blessing of the Mormon Heirarchy for that mission.
so his “election” is simply a formality to be carried out at the appointed time. It’s a done deal.
Two-faced Never-Trumper, but Ever-Rumper Romney is NEVER RIGHT ABOUT ANYTHING!
https://theconservativetreehouse.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/romney-profile-flag-cropped-proto-custom_28.jpg
” The Unmasking continues, and it’s not even Susan Rice doing it this time.
(If you notice the NeverTrumpers sounding increasingly liberal notes lately, it’s because they’ve realized the life-boats being supplied by the Washington Post, The Atlantic magazine, and other liberal publications only have so many seats, and they’re going to have to start competing for those few remaining Former (Fake) Conservative Paid to Bash Actual Conservative slots.
Gun control will be among the first issues where they announce “I have sinned and can sin no longer;” then they’ll start making noises about a more “rational” position on abortion. Global warming will come after that.)”
http://acecomments.mu.nu/?post=373892
Realistically your only choices have to appear on the ballot. Who else has shown an interest in the job? #NeverHillary gave us Donald Trump, which was cringeworthy at the time but has been undeniably better than the alternative. What might a #NeverMittens get Utah?
that is why I said I will work against him in the primary. In the general, I will wait and see. In the past I have voted third party (pretty safe for me, since the R *will* get the seat in Utah)
Totally agree. This is about preventing another Mike Lee from entering the Senate.
At this point, I have as much respect for Mitt as I do for McCain, Flake, Corker, McConnell, Murkowski ….. NONE !
If Mitt announced that he was running in MassiveTwoShits I would be impressed and behind him. Romney a fine man with well defined limitations. This announcement seems empty without the announcement in parallel with the death of John McLean.
I doubt you’ll have to wait very long for that second announcement. Summer, probably.
as the prayer for the tsar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=TKnOhjH1-9w
the lord keep him far, far away
If he is running, he will win. He is a good man and an honorable man most fitting for a generation ago… not for today. We need close quarters knife fighters in the Senate, not a tiresome New England style Rockefeller Republican.
Oh well.
With all due respect, Whitewall, Romney is neither good nor honorable.
He is weak and a rino. He treated candidate and now President Trump with outright hostility, while kissing Obama’s rear end in his own half-assed campaign.
I agree with Lewfarge re the other rinos. No respect for mitt, then, now or ever.
I’m sorry, bear. I accidentally clicked while scrolling down and down-voted you. 🙁
Thanx for letting me know. I thought it was rags and yellow snake. Now I know it was just rags.
Enjoy the rest of your day!
You’re welcome. You, too!
” We need close quarters knife fighters…”
Whitewater,
Mittens is a knife fighter like obama is a constitutional law professor.
Romney is great at getting to be the nominee, then losing. He was a one-term governor in Massachusetts. He couldn’t beat obama in a debate when candy crowley was speaking for him.
The ONLY thing Mittens is good at, is stabbing members of his own party in the back, then capitulating to the left.
Rommey is a rino, in the true sense of the word. We need Romney in the senate like need McCain. Or Flake. Or Corker.
Read my comment a little closer. Recall what and who Rockefeller Republicans were/are.
Everyone out of state needs to donate to his GOP primary challenger. Everyone in Utah needs to vote against him.
We all need to send a message to the GOPe.
Barf.
That’s all I’ve got.
He’s an east-coaster. Spo, it’s Baahf.
Did he grow a pair yet?
of what ?
Starts with B. 😆
Boobs?
😆 😆 😆
The moral of the story is that famous Mormons can always carpetbag to Utah because that’s the level their voters operate on.
That arrogant view is exactly what the GOP establishment likes you to believe. It feeds your ego and confirmation bias.
It’s a plain fact that voters in any (red) state are not dumber than voters anywhere else. So the explanation that “voters in [X] are stupid” doesn’t explain why people like McCain and Romney get elected.
What we’re seeing here is a concerted effort to FORCE this choice on voters. First comes the PREFERENCE FALSIFICATION: stories about how popular [candidate X] is in the state. Next comes the efforts to bribe/threaten everyone else to stay out of the race. After that comes the personal attacks and smears on anyone who doesn’t fall for the first two steps as a “kook” or “open-borders advocate” or “anti-Trumper,” etc.
All of these tricks (and more) were used in the Alabama race. You are being manipulated.
“That arrogant view…”
While what you stated regarding politics is true, so is what max said.
Both can be true.
We all already know that Willard “Mitt” Romney will win his seat because – LIVs – and because he’s a Mormon Mafia superhero. In fact, I’d bet Mormon Mafia Capo/Enforcer Evan McMullin will surely soon come out from under his rock and raise his fugly bulbous head to sing the praises of Mittens Romney to all of Utah. That is, if super-Mittens blesses it.
Kemberlee Kaye sounds just absolutely thrilled that Willard “Mitt” Romney is returning to Capital Hill. And, she seems to demonstrate as much too. I wonder, why am I not surprised…..? I wish I could post a clever picture too – I have a great one extolling some rarely ever offered TRUTH of Mitt Romney, and it isn’t nearly so praiseful. Truly.
And, hoo-boy, here ya go. That didn’t take long. Already, the fetid, gaseous Swamp brays for its lost son’s return.
House Speaker Ryan said that he “couldn’t be happier” that Mitt Romney will run for Utah’s U.S. Senate seat. Paul Ryan in a statement released Friday [today]:
Ryan should be on the same rail romney is run out of town on.
McConnell with them.
Barf. Again.
#resistance GOP ! A pick up for the Democrats and NRO! Yeah! Lindsey Graham has another caucus member to alienate Trump voters. No doubt, Senator Romney will be quickly put on the most visible committees so he can pontificate for TV about how wrong Trump is on this or that.
I hope he does not get elected. He will be just another RINO and resist President Trump. He will be another media whore like Graham and McCain. Former Presidential Candidate is a fancy title for LOSER.
I guess he’s bored. Every man needs a hobby and his is politics. Can’t Utah come up with a home-grown candidate?
— Or someone who will actually represent their vision for the nation, instead of a sell-out to the left?
Romney, 2018: because America wants more Swamp.
How can everyone not in the GOPe hate Romney, yet he’s still “overwhelmingly popular “ in Utah? I tend to think his popularity is fake news.
“Vote for me, I’m Mormon.”
real inspiring campaign slogan you got there, Mittens.
sad thing is, it will likely w*rk in Utah.
I am sure Chuck Schmer picks up plenty of tjhe Jewish vote for being Jewish. Maxine Waters’ replacement will get votes for being Latino, because her district is swinging etnically.
I’m… going to be cautiously optimistic. After all, I did vote for him once. It really depends on which of the two paths he takes, and we can’t tell that until *after* he’s elected.
Path #1: The Path of Sanity and Reason – This is where Romney steps up and ‘Translates’ for the frothing media and the Trump administration. It includes phrases like “I think President Trump has been very clear about border security…” and “In order to get control over government spending as President Trump stated, we are going to have to…” and “If the previous administration appointees used their offices for partisan political spying on the Trump campaign as the evidence shows, there will have to be serious consequences.”
Path #2 – The Way of the McCain Rino – In this case, he becomes the voice of the opposition party, countering and watering down any Trump proposal, helping the Dems hold up his nominees, etc… The press will, of course, love him for that, and slather on the praises *until* he does something stupid in their opinion such as run for the Presidency after Trump leaves office. Then it’s back to women in binders and dogs on cars 24/7.
I’m really hoping for the first. Trump surprised me. I hope Romney does too, in a good way.
Mitt, I voted for you in 2012. As an Ohio voter, thankfully I don’t have to make that mistake ever again. Trump is going to keep making America great again, despite your best efforts.
Used to like him. Before he opposed democratically elected president.
There are a lot of name callers on this site. It didn’t use to be. Romney may not be the man some of you want but he is an honorable man who has his views and beliefs as you all do. He has never been accused of the backstabbing tactics used by so many in DC and he is very intelligent. I do not think he is going to DC to be a thorn in Trump’s side. I respect his decisions just like I respect all of yours but I don’t think he is the monster some of you are presenting. He definitely is not a street fighter but he does have ethics. That is something lacking in the Senate.
“he is an honorable man”
Which time was he more honorable, when he was praising Trump for endorsing his campaign, or when he was having his tantrum and calling Trump childish names?
Some honor.
” I do not think he is going to DC to be a thorn in Trump’s side.”
Please explain how you came to this conclusion. I was under the impression that the sole reason for his running was his desire to oppose President Trump, whom he finds undesirable and unworthy of the office of President.
Romney is definitely no backstabber. He prefers to stab Trump from the front, in full view, with an audience.
He explicitly said so in the Washington Post in January. He is taking over McCain’s role.
Romney, McCain, paper thin difference.