Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in 2024, potentially marking the end of a 25-year career in public service.
Elected to the Senate in 2018, the former Massachusetts governor and 2012 GOP presidential nominee will depart from Washington in January 2025. In his video statement, as noted by ABC News, Romney spoke about the importance of a new generation taking leadership roles, pointing to the challenges the U.S. deals with today.
He criticized both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump for not adequately addressing current issues.
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While some may speculate the politician who ran against former President Barack Obama in 2012 may be going for a vice presidential bid in 2024, any speculation seems minced by his own words.
"I have 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."
Although not running for reelection, Romney isn’t leaving politics immediately, as he’ll serve out the rest of his term, which ends January 2025.
His decision led to discussions about potential GOP candidates for the 2024 Utah Senate race, according to ABC, which reported that Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs announced his candidacy.
State House Speaker Brad Wilson is considering a run, and former Rep. Jason Chaffetz is also weighing his options.
Romney's future political engagement is uncertain, but Axios indicated he would not pursue a presidential run on a third-party ticket, suggesting it could adversely impact Biden's campaign.
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