When you look at the reasons why Donald Trump might not want Mitt Romney in the Senate, first take a look at what Romney has said about Trump, as rounded up by The Washington Post:

  • “If we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished.”
  • “But you say, wait, wait, wait, isn’t he a huge business success? Doesn’t he know what he’s talking about? No, he isn’t and no, he doesn’t.”
  • “Now, Donald Trump tells us that he is very, very smart. I’m afraid that when it comes to foreign policy he is very, very not smart.”
  • “Dishonesty is Donald Trump’s hallmark.”
  • “Think of Donald Trump’s personal qualities: The bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics.

Quite a contrast from Orrin Hatch, the current Senator from Utah who has said Trump could be one of the greatest presidents, maybe ever.   Now imagine an unbridled Romney on the Senate floor, dreams of another White House run dancing in his head.

From Dan:

–Mitt Romney is a old school Republican.  And he would be a disaster for Donald Trump.  But Romney remains popular in Utah.

–Romney will be heavily favored to win the seat if he runs, which seems likely…(although in this wild and wooly off-year election cycle who can safely predict anything?)

–If he does get it, what, if any, significant changes would a Senator Romney make to the future of  the Republican party? (President Trump urged Hatch to run for re-election.)

–Does or does not this provide an opening for Romney to try again for the Presidency in 2020?  

Romney’s statement: