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Despite his high profile, former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has failed to secure the Republican nomination for the upcoming Utah Senate race.
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Romney came in second place to Utah state Rep. Mike Kennedy (R) in a second round of voting, where his challenger amassed 50.88 percent of the vote, while Romney took 49.12 percent. Because neither reached the 60 percent threshold to win outright, there will now be a GOP primary on June 26.
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There will be a GOP primary for @MittRomney in the Utah Senate race. He just came in second to Mike Kennedy in the second round of delegate voting here at the convention. Romney 49.12% Kennedy 50.88%
— Maeve Reston (@MaeveReston) April 22, 2018
The former presidential candidate is vying to fill the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who is currently the longest serving Republican Senator, having served for 41 years. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is currently the longest serving lawmaker in the entire Senate, having served for 43 years.
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An announcement from Senator Orrin G. Hatch. #utpol pic.twitter.com/UeItaLjR3j
— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) January 2, 2018
“Every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves, and for me that time is soon approaching,” said Hatch, 83, the conservative chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. “I’ve decided to retire at the end of this term.”
While Romney has, at times, been critical of Trump – he previously called him a “fraud” – the Senate hopeful has been noticeably soft on the president when given the opportunity to take a stand. After Trump endorsed Romney for the vacant Senate seat, Mitt responded with gracious acceptance from the man who once called him the “dumbest and worst candidate in history.”
Thank you Mr. President for the support. I hope that over the course of the campaign I also earn the support and endorsement of the people of Utah.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) February 20, 2018
If Romney truly wants to secure the GOP nomination come June, he may want to consider growing a spine first.
Follow Brian Tyler Cohen on Facebook and Twitter.
