Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the Senate

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Washington Post

Sen. Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee in 2012 and the only member of his party to twice vote to convict former president Donald Trump in politically charged impeachment trials, announced Wednesday that he will not seek a second term in the Senate representing Utah, saying in an interview that it is time for a new generation to “step up” and “shape the world they’re going to live in.”

Romney, 76, said his decision not to run again was heavily influenced by 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.

“It’s very difficult for the House to operate, from what I can tell,” he said in a lengthy telephone interview previewing his formal announcement, “and two, 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.”

Romney, elected to the Senate in 2018 with 63 percent of the vote, said he will serve out the duration of his term, which ends in January 2025. His decision not to seek reelection next year is likely to mark the end of a political career that has been notable, especially in the Trump era, for independence and a willingness to stand up against the base of his party that has shifted dramatically in Trump’s direction in the decade since Romney was its standard-bearer.

Read more: https://wapo.st/3RllRTP

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Don't let the door hit you where the good lord split you.

[underpants]

1. Well, that opens the door for some flip votes in the Senate

Mitt doesn’t need to worry about selling books or speaking engagements to the loony bin.

[Voltaire2]

2. utah will just elect somebody worse.

[inwiththenew]

13. Yep just like Ohio did

With JD Vance

[pnwmom]

20. Not really. Romney is a moderate compared to those waiting in the wings. UT is a very red state. nt

[Rhiannon12866]

24. And he also voted to convict TFG after the first impeachment, the only Republican to do so

[vlyons]

3. What are the "important matters" that Biden ain't leading on?

Let me guess. More tax cuts for the super-rich? More corporate welfare? Oh I know! Fewer corporate regulations!

[SouthernDem4ever]

10. Biden hasn't pushed to make Mormonism our national religion

[Alexander Of Assyria]

12. Or the important things tRump is unwilling to lead on...??

Basically fish gallop, but good enough for Stenojournalism to publish without questioning!

tRump is unwilling to lead on the important issues of (………………………).

…supporting dictators?
…supporting rule of law?
…leading a violent insurrection?
…climate health?
…supporting Ukraine, not Russia?

Etc.

Pick one, just one Romney, fence sitting isn’t going to be so popular after the tottering messiah goes to jail on overwhelming in plain sight Evidence…on live tv in Georgia!

tms. pend.

[Mike Nelson]

4. I think...

... that's fine, but I really have to question his, "Biden is unable to lead on important matters" statement. Romney was part of the way Biden led! Romney knows how well we transitioned from Trump and Covid... Also, Romney must see what is happening in the world... Biden has shown great leadership in the world. In fact, Biden's world leadership has been stunning.

[twodogsbarking]

5. Hopefully the mother ship will pick him up and we will never hear from him again.

[RobertDevereaux]

6. The same damned Biden-TFG "equivalency" bullshit.

WHERE IS YOUR COURAGE, MITT?

[brush]

7. Romney, the only current repug senator with just a smidgeon of integrity...

but still a repug as he bows out with shots at Biden's ability, the president of recent times who has accomplished the most legislation that actually made the average American's life better...1) $1.2 trillion n infrastructure package; The $1.9 trillion COVID relief deal; lowest unemployment in 50 years; revitalized NATO to back Ukraine; the Cares Act which sent direct $1,000 payments to Adult Americans and $500 per child which helped tremendously during the depths of the covid pandemic and massive job losses; and of course the Chips Act which is bringing chip manufacturing jobs back to the US.

There's also the lowering of medication costs through negotiations now with big pharma.

Buh-bye, Mitt...still nothing but a repug.

[Comfortably_Numb]

8. Still plenty of companies to be leveraged into bankruptcy by Vulture Capitalists like Mittens.

Who’ll think about the corporations? Remember it was Mittens who famously reminded us that Corps are people too. Fuck him

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

9. That says a lot when the R's have gotten so batshit crazy that even Mitt wants to stay clear of them

[maxsolomon]

11. Seriously, fuck this smug rich asshole.

Biden is leading on important matters and he knows it.

The only sad part is that Utah will send someone even worse than Mike Lee in R-money's place.

[Scalded Nun]

14. Nothing but a vulture capitalist who has ruined the lives countless individuals, families and

communities.

Good riddance!

[MyNameIsJonas]

15. His reply is going to be way worse.

As a Utahn, I didn't care for Romney but I liked him a whole lot better than Mike Lee. I expect he'll be replaced by someone more aligned with Lee than himself.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. "the disarray he sees among House Republican"

The words "Mike Lee", the loon insurrectionist who is his state's OTHER Senator, can't seem to be uttered from his lips.

In fact, I don't recall if he ever referred to him about anything at all. Lee, a teabagger extraordinaire, started the ball rolling with the teabagger "primarying" craze, by causing the shocking exit of Bob Bennett, a typical "annoying conservative" who wasn't considered extreme enough. When that happened, Orrin Hatch saw the handwriting on the wall and initially became a facsimile of a loon, before leaving.

I wouldn't be surprised if RMoney was threatened with being primaried. I also wouldn't be surprised if someone like Mia Love ran for that seat so UT can say "See?? We're not racist or sexist".

At least he helped EarlG "go viral"!

[Joinfortmill]

17. Yup not to mention the breaking news about this case & the Mormon Church..

https://baptistnews.com/article/sensationalized-child-abuse-ruby-frankes-arrest-the-lds-church-and-social-media/

The 8 Passengers Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt YouTube Connexions social media influencers

It has nothing to do with Romney, but the Mormon Church recommended the therapist for years who is involved and facing some horrific charges. This case is about to explode onto the national and world media stage. Any candidate from Utah is going to be asked about this case and if you're a member of the church, even more so.

[FakeNoose]

18. My guess is he'd lose the next election anyway, might even get primaried

Mittens is just saving face at this point. He's got enough money socked away, why put up with these assholes?

It is what it is ...

[PortTack]

19. "Unable to lead on important matters" oh FFS!

[GreenWave]

21. What can you expect from a guy who does not know the words "donut" and "park"?

Out of touch with the common people.

[BlueKota]

22. While I applaud Mittens

stand against Trump, I still never forgave him for his caught on tape statement that the people who weren't millionaires could become millionaires, if they just worked harder.

My Dad, God rest his soul, had to drop out of school, in eighth grade to help his mother support, she, himself, and his two sisters after my grandfather had died of a stroke while plowing the field. My Dad worked on the farm for years, then he did factory work, and eventually opened a water delivery service. In addition to filling wells , cisterns, and pools, he also volunteered for 3 volunteer fire departments. He helped save lives. He also would water down the race track for free at the county fair every year for the car racing and demolition derby.

When he was 61 the city manager, reached out to him, and asked Dad to become the head mechanic for the city. He would go out in the middle of the night in winter, if the plows broke down. He worked until he was 78, and only quit then because he suffered a stroke and lost use of one of his hands.I think it broke his heart that he couldn't fix engines anymore. He died a couple of years later.

My Dad probably worked harder in one year than Mittens worked in his entire life. We weren't millionaires, but he always kept a roof over our heads, food in our stomachs, and clothes on our back. He also paid his taxes, and kept the land my grandfather had his farm on in the family, and my house is on it still. He also helped others and was loved and respected by our community. One of my professors at the Community College was on the city council. He said he absolutely loved my Dad, because he saved the city a ton of money because he could fix just about anything, so they didn't need to keep buying more equipment. So go F yourself Mittens. The only reason it's bad he is not running again, is like others have pointed out, he will likely be replaced by an ever bigger asshat!

[Javaman]

23. A piece of shit to the end

He could have just walked away and that would have been it, but he had to take a parting shot at Biden

Sour grapes much?

Mr Bain capital did more to destroy this nation as did the maga qanon morons did

Fuck that piece of shit

[Polybius]

25. Don't like the guy, but he looks and acts about as good as anyone can be at 76

He's not too old to be a Senator, no matter what he says.