Mitt Romney Stands Down, Will Not Seek Presidential Bid

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) is standing down and will not launch a presidential bid, according to his chief of staff.

Romney’s decision not to seek reelection to the Senate in 2024 sparked speculation that he was possibly eyeing a presidential bid again, potentially putting him against one of his most prominent Republican critics: former President Donald Trump.

However, Romney’s chief of staff has put the rumors to rest following the creation of the “Draft Romney Manchin Committee” filing, which was opened with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). According to reports from KSL TV’s Lindsay Aerts, Romney was unaware of the filing and has no interest in launching a presidential bid at this time. He is “not considering running for President on any ticket,” per his chief of staff.

#BREAKING @SenatorRomney's chief of staff says he's "not considering running for President on any ticket."

An FEC filing was opened called the "Draft Romney Manchin Committee."

Romney's chief of staff says he was not aware of the effort, it's not known who is behind it. @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/8Ex9xuRyzw

— Lindsay Aerts (@LindsayOnAir) November 10, 2023

From the report:

That FEC filing came before Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced he would not be running for reelection in 2024. The Associated Press reported that a group was pushing for Manchin to partner with Romney, who is also retiring from the Senate, to seek a third-party presidential bid. That group filed the paperwork to form a formal draft committee on Thursday.

The final decision comes as Romney, who voted to impeach Trump, continues to attack the former president from the sidelines, asserting that Trump represents “a failure of character.”

“Donald Trump represents a failure of character, which is changing, I think, in many respects, the psyche of our nation and the heart of our nation. And that’s something which takes a long time, if ever, to repair,” he said during an October appearance on CBS’s Sunday Morning.

WATCH — Romney: Trump “Represents a Failure of Character,” Which Is Changing the Psyche of Our Nation

In his farewell announcement, Romney also attacked Trump for calling “global warming a hoax,” concluding that “neither President Biden nor former President Trump are leading their party to confront” the “critical challenges” facing the nation.

Trump, however, celebrated Romney’s coming departure, considering it “FANTASTIC NEWS FOR AMERICA, THE GREAT STATE OF UTAH, & FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.”

Exclusive — Trump: Romney Is “a Loser;” “The Right Candidate Will Beat Him” in Utah Primary

Matthew Perdie / Breitbart News, Jack Knudsen / Breitbart News

Still, other challengers are throwing their hats in the ring in 2024, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and most recently, Jill Stein, the last of whom concluded that Democrats have “betrayed their promises.”