Is Mitt Romney gearing up for a Senate run?


Mitt Romney has run for Senate once before, in Massachusetts in 1994. He lost to then-incumbent Sen. Ted Kennedy. But citing several sources familiar with his thinking, The Atlantic reports Romney is apparently mulling another run at the upper chamber — this time to replace longtime Sen. Orrin Hatch (R) in Utah.
Hatch is 83 years old and has served in the Senate since 1977. He's up for re-election in 2018, but told National Journal last month that he might consider retiring if Romney were to run for his seat. "If I could get a really outstanding person to run for my position, I might very well consider [retiring]," Hatch told National Journal. "Mitt Romney would be perfect."
While Romney did not run for president in 2016, he stayed in the national spotlight by giving a blistering speech criticizing then-candidate Donald Trump. He also served as the Republican Party's presidential nominee in 2012 and as the governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. While Hatch tried to downplay his comments, Romney "appears to be taking the potential Senate bid seriously," The Atlantic reports:
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.
In addition to discussing it with Hatch and other party leaders in Utah, sources said Romney has spoken with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. According to two people with knowledge of the conversation, McConnell encouraged Romney to run if Hatch's seat opens up, and sought to assure the former GOP presidential nominee that he would have more influence in the chamber than a typical junior senator. [The Atlantic]
A spokesperson for Romney said the former governor was unavailable to offer comment to The Atlantic on the story. But for Romney, whose Mormon faith and clean-cut conservative demeanor have earned him fervent fans in Utah, a potential campaign in the Beehive State would "likely be a cakewalk," The Atlantic writes. Read more about potential Sen. Romney here.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kimberly Alters is the news editor at TheWeek.com. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
The seven strangest historical discoveries made in 2025
The Explainer From prehistoric sunscreen to a brain that turned to glass, we've learned some surprising new facts about human history
-
Sudoku hard: June 19, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
-
Crossword: June 19, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americans
speed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protesters
Speed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trump
speed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet
-
Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrest
speed read California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests
-
Trump foists National Guard on unwilling California
speed read Protests erupted over ICE immigration raids in LA county
-
Supreme Court lowers bar in discrimination cases
speed read The court ruled in favor of a white woman who claimed she lost two deserved promotions to gay employees
-
Trump-Musk relationship implodes in taunts, threats
speed read Musk said Trump's multitrillion bill would cause a recession and accused the president of involvement with Jeffrey Epstein