On Wednesday, Utah’s Republican Senator, Mitt Romney, announced his decision not to seek reelection, bringing his distinguished two-decade political career to a close, which included a bid for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination and a term as Massachusetts governor.
“Mitt Romney Stuns the Nation with Unexpected Retirement News!”
At the age of 76, Romney explained that he believed the nation’s myriad challenges required a younger generation of leaders to step forward. He argued that the U.S. would be better served if the two leading contenders for their respective parties’ 2024 presidential nominations, Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican former President Donald Trump, were to step aside given their ages of 80 and 77, respectively. Romney emphasized, “The times we’re living in demand the next generation to express their viewpoints and make decisions that will shape American politics in the coming century. Baby boomers like me are not the right ones to be making decisions for tomorrow.”
Upon departing from the Senate, Romney intends to focus on increasing youth engagement and participation in the political process.
“Unbelievable: Mitt Romney’s Game-Changing Retirement Decision!”
As the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, Romney campaigned as a buttoned-up former Massachusetts governor and private equity executive. However, with the rise of Trump’s populist influence within the party, Romney’s brand of Republicanism shifted from being an establishment figure to an outlier. He notably stood as the only GOP member of Congress to vote to convict Trump in both of his impeachment trials.
During a press conference, Romney identified himself as part of the “wise wing of the Republican Party” and expressed his belief that it would endure. He contrasted his faction, which focuses on policy and issues that impact the American people, with the Trump wing, which he contended was characterized by resentments, settling scores, and revisiting the 2020 election.
Romney revealed that he had spoken with President Biden, who extended his best wishes.
Romney’s decision to retire after the end of his term in 2025 makes him the sixth incumbent senator to do so, joining the ranks of Republican Mike Braun of Indiana and Democrats Tom Carper of Delaware, Ben Cardin of Maryland, Dianne Feinstein of California, and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell praised Romney for his extensive experience and the inspiration he provided through his deep faith and integrity.
Romney’s departure sets the stage for a competitive race in a state that heavily leans Republican and is anticipated to draw a crowded field of contenders.
Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson had previously expressed interest in Romney’s seat earlier in the year, launching an exploratory committee while emphasizing the need for a “conservative fighter” who represents the state’s values rather than a “professional career politician.”
Despite facing resistance within his own party for his divergence from Trump, Romney won a Senate seat comfortably in 2018. He made history in 2020 by becoming the first senator to vote to convict a president from his own party in an impeachment trial, both in Trump’s first impeachment and the second. Trump was acquitted both times by the Senate.
After his vote in the second impeachment trial, Romney faced backlash from some members of the Utah Republican Party, with a censure motion narrowly failing. His detractors even used the term “Mitt Romney Republican” as a campaign slogan during the 2022 midterm elections.
Nevertheless, Romney remained broadly popular in Utah, a state that has traditionally been home to a faction of the Republican Party favoring civil conservatism over Trump’s unconventional political style. The state is also home to figures like the anti-Trump Lincoln Project and Republican Evan McMullin, who ran a long-shot presidential campaign in 2016.
The majority of Utah’s population belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Romney, as one of the faith’s prominent members, has enjoyed popularity there for decades. He bolstered his reputation by successfully managing the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, a remarkable feat that transformed the event into a global showcase for Salt Lake City.
Romney served as Massachusetts’ governor from 2003 to 2007, during which he signed a healthcare law that shared core features with the 2010 federal healthcare law signed by President Barack Obama, who defeated Romney in the 2012 presidential election.
Throughout his presidential campaign, Romney struggled to shake off the perception of being out of touch with the average American. This image crystallized when a secretly recorded comment at a fundraiser surfaced in which he stated he wasn’t concerned about winning the votes of the “47% of Americans” who “believe they are victims” and “pay no income tax.”
After his presidential defeat, Romney relocated to Utah.
In 2016, he delivered a scathing speech in Utah, denouncing Trump, then a GOP presidential candidate, as a “phony” and a “fraud” unfit for the White House. However, after Trump’s victory, Romney met with him when Trump floated the possibility of nominating him as secretary of state. Ultimately, Trump chose Rex Tillerson.
Romney accepted Trump’s endorsement during the 2018 Senate primary race but also pledged in an op-ed to speak out when the president engaged in divisive, racist, sexist, anti-immigrant, dishonest, or institutionally destructive behavior.
In 2020, Romney participated in a Washington protest against police mistreatment of minorities and expressed support for the “Black Lives Matter” movement, a rare statement for a member of his party.
On January 6, 2021, during the Capitol riot, Romney nearly encountered the mob of Trump supporters attempting to halt Biden’s presidential certification. A U.S. Capitol Police officer directed him to turn around, prompting Romney to run for safety.
Trump celebrated the news of Romney’s retirement, characterizing him as a senator who did not serve with distinction and expressing his excitement about the prospects for Utah and the Republican Party.
This decision by Romney creates an intriguing vacancy in Utah’s political landscape and will undoubtedly be followed closely as the state gears up for a significant political contest.
“Mitt Romney Stuns the Nation with Unexpected Retirement News!”