Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) has yet to announce whether or not he will seek reelection. He’s long been mum on the issue, but it’s likely a moot point anyway. Even if he does decide to seek reelection, he’s pretty much destroyed any chance of a long career in the U.S. Senate.
Despite hailing from one of the most conservative states in the union, Romney has an unimpressive conservative voting record of just 58%, according to Heritage Action. He did himself no favors by supporting the impeachment of former President Trump and voting to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court despite concerns about her leniency towards child pornographers and lack of transparency in confirmation hearings.
It’s no shock that recent polls show that his approval in Utah is underwater.
“In this polarized environment, true conservatives are seeking candidates that really speak to their conservative core and distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack,” Josh Ryan, a political science professor at Utah State University, told Deseret News. “Mitt Romney has sought a more moderate path, and in the process may have alienated himself from the most conservative voters.”
It should come as no surprise that more than 60 Utah Republican lawmakers have endorsed Romney’s primary challenger, Utah State House Speaker Brad Wilson, who launched an exploratory committee back in April.
“I am honored and encouraged to have the support of so many leaders from all corners of this great state,” Wilson said. “Utah needs a bold, conservative fighter in the U.S. Senate and I am humbled at the support and encouragement we’ve received so quickly.”
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Romney has filed FEC paperwork to run for reelection but has not made a decision yet. He is, however raising money. According to Fox News, Romney has raised close to $1.8 million in campaign donations this year for his potential re-election campaign. Wilson, on the other hand, actually has a larger financial reserve of slightly over $2.2 million received. However, $1.2 million of that war chest came from a personal loan by Wilson to his campaign.
“Since announcing an exploratory committee for U.S. Senate, I have traveled to every corner of the state to meet with Utahns. Their message is loud and clear: Utah wants a bold, proven, conservative leader in the U.S. Senate,” Wilson said in a statement last month. “I am encouraged by the enthusiastic support we’ve received so far. This finance report is only the beginning and shows that should I decide to run, we will have the resources and firepower we need to get our message out — and win.”
Romney has publicly expressed confidence that if he runs again, he can win. However, that there’s even a question that he will run again is strange for a first-term senator and is likely a reflection that he knows he won’t easily win the GOP nomination again. Romney has been more popular with Democrats lately than Republicans, and conservatives won’t be sad to see him go.