Senator Mitt Romney recently declared that he is unsure whether or not he will aim for the Senate once again in 2024. Should Romney ultimately opt to run once again, he may be on the same ballot as former President Donald J. Trump, who may make a run for the presidency once again in 2024.
In remarks to The Hill, Romney declared that he would “cross that bridge down the road” in reference to the 2024 election, adding that he has not “given a lot of attention yet” to his potential bid for the Senate.
The Utah senator, who recently voted in favor of confirming ultra-liberal justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, previously ran as the GOP nominee in 2012 against then-President Barack Hussain Obama.
Romney was subsequently elected to the Senate in 2018, and he has become a well-known critic of Trump.
In both of Trump’s impeachment trials, one of which occurred while he was a private citizen, Romney voted in favor of punishing Trump.
In addition, Romney is one of only three Republicans to vote in favor of confirming Jackson, who was appointed by President Joe Robinette Biden to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.
As Breyer is also liberal, Jackson’s appointment will not upend the conservative majority presently residing on the U.S. Supreme Court, the highest pinnacle of the nation’s justice system.
Romney’s reflections on his political future come amid widespread chatter about a potential challenger in the primary, including from Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes. Unlike Romney, Reyes is a staunch advocate of Trump.
However, others argue in favor of Romney’s continued political career, pointing out that the senator enjoys support from both sides of the aisle due to his ostensibly moderate stance.
According to previously remarks from Jason Perry, who serves as the Director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah, Romney remains “one of those rare politicians who has support from across the political spectrum.”
While the majority of voters presently support Romney, it is unlikely that Romney will win the party’s nomination in 2024 due to voting in favor of Biden’s Supreme Court Justice pick, as well as for voting in favor of impeaching Trump.
If Romney is unable to be nominated during the GOP convention, he will have to collect sufficient signature in order to bypass the convention and run in the primary election in an effort to maintain his seat in the Senate.
