Republican Utah Sen. Mitt Romney announced Wednesday that he will not be seeking reelection to the United States Senate.
“I’ve spent my last 25 years in public service of one kind or another,” he explained in a video message released on social media. “At the end of another term, I’d be in my mid eighties. Frankly, it’s time for a new generation of leaders. They’re the ones that need to make the decisions that will shape the world they will be living in.”
“We face critical challenges,” Romney continued. “Mounting national debt, climate change, and the ambitious authoritarians of Russia and China. Neither President [Joe] Biden, nor former President [Donald] Trump, are leading their party to confront those issues.”
The Utah Republican criticized both candidates’ attitudes towards deficits and debt, global warming, China, political motivations, and more.
“The next generation of leaders must take America to the next stage of global leadership,” he said. “While I’m not running for reelection, I’m not retiring from the fight. I’ll be your United States senator until January of 2025. I will keep working on these and other issues, and I’ll advance our state’s numerous priorities.”
Romney has sparked anger within the Republican party on many occasions, such as when he voted for advancing the so-called Respect for Marriage Act, and for twice voting to impeach Trump.
He was the only Republican to vote to convict Trump in the 2020 impeachment trial. During the second trial following the January 2021 Capitol Riot, six other Republican senators joined Romney in voting to impeach Trump.
Romney appears to have first revealed his retirement to the Washington Post.
“It’s very difficult for the House to operate, from what I can tell,” he told the publication in a phone interview, “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.”
Trump reacted to news that Romney would not seek reelection in a Truth Social Post.
“Fantastic news for America,the great state of Utah, & for the Republican party,” the former president said. “Mitt Romney, sometimes referred to as Pierre Delecto, will not be seeking a second term in the U.S. Senate, where he did not serve with distinction. A big primary fight against him was in the offing, but now that will not be necessary. Congrats to all. Make America Great Again!”
Pierre Delecto was the name of an anonymous Twitter account Romney once used.
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