Washington — Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah announced on Wednesday that he will not be running for reelection to a second term in the Senate in 2024. In a video posted on social media, Romney called for the “next generation of leaders” to take over from President Biden and former President Donald Trump.
At the age of 76, Romney acknowledged that it was time for new leaders to step forward, stating, “I spent my last 25 years in public service of one kind or another. At the end of another term, I’d be in my mid-80s. Frankly, it’s time for a new generation of leaders.”
Romney was the Republican nominee for president in 2012 and was elected to the Senate in Utah in 2018. He previously served as the governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008.
“While I’m not running for reelection, I’m not retiring from the fight,” Romney assured. “I’ll be your United States senator until January of 2025.”
In 2020, Romney made history as the first senator in U.S. history to vote to convict a member of his own party in an impeachment trial. He voted to convict Trump of abuse of power and was the only Republican to do so. He also voted to convict Trump of inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, although more Republicans crossed party lines in that vote.
In his statement on Wednesday, Romney expressed the belief that both President Biden and former President Trump should step aside and allow younger candidates to take the lead. He stated, “We face critical challenges — mounting national debt, climate change, and the ambitious authoritarians of Russia and China. Neither President Biden nor former President Trump are leading their party to confront them. The next generation of leaders must take America to the next stage of global leadership.”
Romney’s remarks mirrored his previous comments to CBS News, where he emphasized the need for a new generation of leaders on both the Democratic and Republican sides.
Speaking to the Washington Post before his formal announcement, Romney cited the challenging political dynamics in Washington as one of the factors contributing to his decision not to seek reelection. He remarked, “It’s very difficult for the House to operate, from what I can tell. And two, and perhaps more importantly, we’re probably going to have either Trump or Biden as our next president. And Biden is unable to lead on important matters, and Trump is unwilling to lead on important matters.”
Nikole Killion contributed reporting.
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