Failed presidential candidate Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) told reporters on Wednesday that former President Donald Trump will likely be the Republican nominee in 2024, and the potential wide field of candidates will only improve his chances.
“I think President Trump is by far the most likely to become our nominee,” he said in the Capitol. “If there’s an alternative to that, it would be only realistic if it narrows down to a two-person race at some point.”
Romney’s comment came the day after former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley launched her 2024 presidential campaign, joining Trump. The field is expected to grow in the following months, with many potential politicians weighing their candidacies.
“There’s always a personal interest on the part of the campaign — particularly the campaign staff, and consultants, as well as the candidate — to stay in. And to say, ‘Hey, look, I came in second. So I’m the person that really ought to get the nomination four years from now,’” Romney continued. “And so it really is up to the donors and and other influence people that know the candidate, his family or her family, to say, ‘Hey, time to move on.’”
Romney has been widely critical of Trump in past years, even going so far as to twice work with Democrats to impeach him.
If Trump wins the nomination, Romney told reporters he will continue work against Trump in the general election. “I won’t be supporting President Trump.”
Romney did note he would not support President Joe Biden against Trump in a 2024 rematch.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.