Is Mitt Romney's retirement the end of a Republican era?
Without the Utah senator, the GOP center might not hold
"You know, contrary to a lot of expectations, I enjoy my work in the Senate a great deal."
So began Utah Senator Mitt Romney's announcement this week that, despite his aforementioned enjoyment, he will not run for a second term in office in 2024. Instead, citing his age (76), Romney explained that it was time for "the next generation" to "step up" and make the political decisions they, themselves, will have to live with in the future.
For as much as Romney hoped to frame his retirement announcement in optimistic terms of a generational shift toward a more capable, committed future, his looming departure from the Senate is at the same time a tacit admission that the political ground has shifted under his feet. Staunch personal conservatism aside, Romney's time in the Senate has been defined by a willingness to both negotiate toward the center and criticize his own party's extremes. Speaking with The Washington Post on Wednesday, Romney acknowledged that the party that nominated him as its standard bearer to run against President Barack Obama in 2012 represents just a "very, very small" portion of the GOP today. But if conservatives can swing so wildly in the direction of a populist like Trump, there's a chance it could "change back in the direction of my wing of the Republican Party" as well.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What does it mean that Mitt Romney has chosen this as his time to bow out of electoral politics, and where does the GOP go from here in his absence?
What the commentators said
Romney's arc from presidential nominee to outgoing senator is a "story about a changing Republican Party," according to NBC News. His replacement, virtually guaranteed to be a Republican in "ruby-red" Utah, "will be more conservative and Trump-friendly," the network predicted. For his part, Romney stressed to Politico that although he won't get involved in that race, he doesn't "think we’re going to get someone off the wall." FiveThirtyEight agreed in part, noting that the state's concentration of Mormons, including Romney, "have made the local GOP more Trump-skeptical than most."
Not so for the nation as a whole, countered former Republican Rep. David Jolly. Romney's retirement is "the latest wake-up call for those who still believe the GOP may one day return to traditional conservatism," Jolly eulogized for MSNBC. "It won't." Romney's departure is itself a departure from elections as "ideological contests" for a more fraught "contest over fundamental democratic and constitutional norms."
Romney is "one of the most significant politicians of the 21st century" and "occupies a unique role in the Senate," according to Semafor. But, despite that unique significance, "his more recent chapters were often defined by his relationship with Trump" (Trump bragged that Romney's retirement was "FANTASTIC NEWS FOR AMERICA, THE GREAT STATE OF UTAH, & FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY" on his Truth Social platform). The contrast between Romney and the rest of the GOP is a sign of how "the Republican party has changed, I would say deteriorated," lamented CNN's Van Jones, who described the senator as a "worthy opponent" to Obama in 2012 (that year he'd called Romney a "douche" for his performance in the first presidential debate. He later apologized). "I can’t believe 10 years later, I’m on CNN begging the guy not to go."
What next?
Romney still has over a year left on his term, and has vowed to stay active throughout. "I’m not going out on a farewell tour,” he told the Washington Post. “I’m not leaving the party, not retiring." Part of that process includes a deliberate effort to encourage West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) and Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I) to stay in office and maintain his vision of a political center in the Senate. In particular, he's discouraged Manchin from mounting a third-party bid for the White House, telling Politico "I tell Joe that in my opinion, him running would only serve to elect Donald Trump."
In his home state of Utah, meanwhile, Romney's pending departure had already prompted dozens of prospective replacements to reach out to GOP Chair Rob Axson even before the senator made his official announcement — at least a dozen of whom "have a compelling case to be made," Axson told Salt Lake City's KJZZ.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Shoot to Kill: Terror on the Tube – a 'raw' and 'riveting' docuseries
The Week Recommends Channel 4's 'gripping' two-part show explores the Metropolitan police killing of an innocent man in the aftermath of 7/7
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
'Salute to those who served'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Europe's all-inclusive holiday trend
The Week Recommends Big US chains are capitalising on the 'recent surge' in package breaks to bring upscale resorts to Europe
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Trump tells next Senate GOP leader to skip confirmations
Speed Read The president-elect said the next Senate majority leader must allow him to make recess appointments
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'The problem with deliverism is that it presumes voters will notice'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Admission of error, or even of uncertainty, should make the public trust us more'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The history of Donald Trump's election conspiracy theories
The Explainer How the 2024 Republican nominee has consistently stoked baseless fears of a stolen election
By David Faris Published
-
The GOP is renewing its focus on the abortion pill
In the Spotlight Three Republican-led states are taking another crack at suing the FDA over the abortion pill, mifepristone
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
'We might need to fiddle with our technology more than we think'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'A growing number of Americans are voting against their traditional class interests'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Many antitrust officials today simply don't understand innovation'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published