JUST IN: Mitt Romney Won’t Seek Reelection, Says Younger Generation Needs To ‘Step Up’
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) announced on Wednesday he will not seek reelection in 2024 and retire from the Senate when his term ends in January of 2025.
Romney, the 2012 GOP candidate for president, spoke to the Washington Post ahead of his official announcement and said his age heavily influenced his decision and that he believes younger Americans need to “step up” and “shape the world they’re going to live in.”
Romney, 76, reportedly told Dan Balz “his belief that a second term, which would take him into his 80s, probably would be less productive and less satisfying than the current term has been. He blamed that both on the disarray he sees among House Republicans and on his own lack of confidence in the leadership of President Biden and Trump.”
Balz quoted Romney directly saying, “It’s very difficult for the House to operate, from what I can tell… and perhaps more importantly, we’re probably going to have either Trump or Biden as our next president. And Biden is unable to lead on important matters and Trump is unwilling to lead on important matters.”
Soon after the Post article was published, Romney posted a video announcing his retirement from the Senate and touting the successes of his term.
Romney’s storied career in politics included a term as the governor of Massachusetts and several presidential runs before losing to incumbent President Barack Obama in 2012. In 2018, Romney successfully won a Senate seat from his adopted state of Utah and broke party ranks to vote to impeach President Donald Trump twice. Romney was the only GOP member of the Senate who voted to impeach Trump in his first impeachment trial, making him the first U.S. Senator in history to vote to remove from office a president of his own party.
Romney publicly opposed Trump as far back as 2016 and in March of that year gave a speech lambasting what he viewed as Trump’s lack of moral character and coherent policy positions:
Mr. Trump is directing our anger for less than noble purposes. He creates scapegoats of Muslims and Mexican immigrants, he calls for the use of torture and for killing the innocent children and family members of terrorists. He cheers assaults on protesters. He applauds the prospect of twisting the Constitution to limit first amendment freedom of the press. This is the very brand of anger that has led other nations into the abyss.
Here’s what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He’s playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat.
His domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill.
This is a developing story and has been updated.
