ST. GEORGE – So is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney finally going to announce he’s running for Senate or not? Well, according to a tweet he sent out Thursday afternoon, he’s set to make an official announcement on the matter in two weeks.
“Looking forward to making an announcement on February 15th about the Utah Senate race,” Romney wrote, ending the tweet with a link to mittromney.com where people can sign up to “Join Team Mitt.”
Looking forward to making an announcement on February 15th about the Utah Senate race. https://t.co/OLXWZWREEK
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) February 1, 2018
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While that appears on its face to be an announcement of a forthcoming announcement, state Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, said the announcement was likely an unofficial announcement itself.
“I think this is the announcement,” Weiler tweeted in reply to Romney’s post. “No reason to wait if the answer is ‘no.”
I think this is the announcent. No reason to wait if the answer is “no.” #utpol #uspol https://t.co/YpE08X1IIW
— Todd Weiler (@gopTODD) February 1, 2018
Speculation over whether Romney will run for Senate in 2018 has been rampant as rumors abounded of Sen. Orrin Hatch’s pending retirement. While Hatch said he would like to see someone like Romney succeed him if he ultimately choose not to run for Senate again, Romney has largely been quiet on the matter.
With Hatch finally announcing last month that he would not seek re-election, Romney has been pegged as the top contender for Hatch’s senate seat.
Read more: Hatch to ‘hang up the gloves’ after over 40 years in Senate; Utah leaders, others respond
The 70-year-old Romney certainly hasn’t lacked for backers, either, as Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, former Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have either encouraged him to run or publicly stated he’s the candidate for the job.
Read more: Romney reportedly texts friend ‘I’m running’ for Senate
If he runs and is elected, Romney is seen by some supporters as a possible counterpoint and opposition to President Donald Trump.
Romney is popular in Utah where he is held up as the man who led a turnaround of the scandal-plagued 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and as a prominent Mormon businessman and politician in the state that is home to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Other who have announced their intent to run for Senate include St. George Attorney Larry Meyers and Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson.
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Twitter: @MoriKessler
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.
(yawn) don’t you just love a drama queen…
Oh, look! Another out of state carpet bagger looking to further Utah’s agenda of theology over everything else.
No wonder this state can’t progress and pull itself out of the dark ages. People like Romney keep running and getting elected by folks who vote for spirituality versus common sense. Utah is so predictable I can’t stop shaking my head.
You’re right Death Valley. We will have a chance at the caucus level to support St George’s own Constitutional conservative, Larry Myers. You’ll need to go to your caucus on March 20 and say a few words in support of Mr Myers. Of course, you need to visit http://www.MeyersforSenate.com and see if Larry stands for the same things you believe in and isn’t just giving them lip service to be elected.