Senator Mitt Romney addressed a room filled with Republican donors and influencers, emphasizing the need for his party to unite behind a single candidate for the Republican primary, presenting a challenge to President Donald Trump.
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, speaks with former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., during the E2 Summit at Stein Eriksen Lodge on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Park City.
During a Q&A session with former House Speaker Paul Ryan at the E2 Summit in Park City, a gathering of prominent Republican donors and intellectuals, Sen. Mitt Romney also revealed that he had encouraged Democratic senators, specifically Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Mark Warner of Virginia, to run against President Joe Biden. However, as of now, there have yet to be any takers for this proposition.
Mitt Romney says he's urged Cory Booker and other Democrats to challenge Joe Biden. No sign from New Jersey that Booker for President is anything other than 2028.
— David Wildstein (@wildstein) October 12, 2023
https://t.co/rYDAZJTkcw
The E2 Summit featured conversations about various domestic and foreign policy issues, including Hamas’ attack on Israel. Additionally, both Sen. Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Paul Ryan expressed concerns about the future of the Republican Party.
The summit had witnessed four presidential candidates addressing the attendees earlier in the day: former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.
Sen. Mitt Romney stated that he would be content with any one of them emerging as the Republican nominee. Back when they ran in 2012, Romney and Ryan were known for their free-market and fiscally conservative stances, which were the prevailing positions among Republican voters and candidates at the time.
However, the landscape shifted after the election of Trump in 2016. Trump introduced a more populist message to the GOP, attracting blue-collar voters who had traditionally supported Democrats. Romney contended that this shift has left the Republican Party divided.
Speaking to a room full of Republican donors and influencers, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney made another plea for his party to coalesce around a single choice to take on President Donald Trump in the Republican primary.
Sen. Mitt Romney pointed out that the Democratic Party faces similar challenges as it adapts to maintain the support of a new wave of suburban, college-educated backers. Both parties, according to Romney, are grappling with identity issues.
Sen. Mitt Romney states, “I think our party has multiple personality disorder, and the Democratic Party does as well. I think we’re schizophrenic. We don’t know what we are or stand for within our party right now.”
Paul Ryan shared Romney’s concerns about the Democratic Party, noting that they have a more challenging task of reconciling ideological differences within their base. In contrast, Republicans are navigating a cult of personality centered around Trump.
Nevertheless, Ryan emphasized that the situation could be more complex. He pondered the future of the Republican Party and the conservative movement after these developments.
Sen. Mitt Romney urged Democratic senators to challenge Biden.
Mitt Romney has encouraged Democratic senators, including Cory Booker and Mark Warner, to consider challenging President Biden. He mentioned that some Democrats believe a more progressive candidate like Senator Elizabeth Warren or independent Senator Bernie Sanders would be the likely successors to Biden, a prospect that doesn’t sit well with them.
Sen. Mitt Romney also shared insights into a group of eight senators, composed of four Republicans and four Democrats, who collaborated on bipartisan legislation. The bipartisan cooperation began with a dinner at Senator Lisa Murkowski’s home in Alaska during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Romney, Murkowski, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, and Senator Rob Portman represented the Republicans, while the Democrats were Senators Kyrsten Sinema, Joe Manchin, Jon Tester, and Jeanne Shaheen. This group was pivotal in passing various bills, including a COVID-19 stimulus bill under Trump, an infrastructure bill, the CHIPS Act, and the Respect for Marriage Act under the Biden administration.
