Mitt Romney's successful 2012 campaign could serve as a template for 2024 hopefuls

(Image credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

published 30 May 2021

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) would likely be among the first to admit that he's not the most popular name in Republican circles these days, but that doesn't mean his successful bid for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012 can't serve as a template for future contenders.

The Republican Party's 2024 picture is muddled. The consensus seems to be that until former President Donald Trump makes it clear whether he'll run, potential candidates will lay low. One way they can do that and still make some headway if they do ultimately enter the scrum is to get involved with 2022 House races, Politico notes. And Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are all already headlining fundraisers, endorsing Republican candidates, hosting receptions, and traveling to key early primary states like Iowa to stump for House hopefuls.

That's what Romney did in 2010, two years before he emerged as the party's champion, Politico notes, and the importance of his "across-the-map campaigning" during the midterms "cannot be overstated," the senator's former chief of staff and longtime confidante Matt Waldrip said. "There is no better way to understand the issues facing the voters around the country and to forge relationships with those fighting for the same ideals as you than getting in the bunker with them during their election campaigns," he told Politico. Read more at Politico.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox