Romney makes it official: He’s running for Utah Senate seat

SALT LAKE CITY » Former presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is running for a Utah Senate seat, officially launching his political comeback attempt Friday by praising his adopted home state as a model for an acrimonious national government in Washington.

Having been one of the Republican Party’s fiercest internal critics of President Donald Trump, Romney didn’t mention the administration or Trump himself in a campaign announcement posted online. The closest allusion to Trump was Romney noting that Utah “welcomes legal immigrants from around the world,” while “Washington sends immigrants a message of exclusion.”

In an interview Friday with The Associated Press, Romney said he will continue to speak out when he takes exception to something the president says or does.

“I call them like I see them. Neither he nor I are likely to change very much,” Romney said, adding that they could work together on policy. “You can expect me to be as forthright as I have traditionally been.”

Romney, 70, will be the heavy favorite for the Senate seat being opened by Sen. Orrin Hatch’s retirement. Hatch was among the first Republicans to pitch Romney as his potential successor, and gave Romney a memo last year outlining his case for why Romney should run, the former presidential candidate confirmed Friday.

Romney said he won’t run for president again but wouldn’t rule out seeking re-election in six years if he wins Utah’s Senate seat this November.

“It’s a little early to make that decision, but I recognize that I’m getting into this for the long haul. At age 70, that may not be three or four terms, but it may well be two,” he said.

Romney demurred when asked if he’d seek or accept Trump’s endorsement and said he’s focusing his campaign on Utah, where he moved with his wife, Ann, after losing the 2012 presidential election to incumbent Democrat Barack Obama.