Mitt Romney's Senate retirement is simply one more nail in the old GOP’s coffin (weeping RINO article)

MSNBC ^ | 9/14/23 | David Jolly, Former Congressman

[cotton1706]

The decision by Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah to forgo his 2024 re-election bid is a classic political Rorschach test. As the standard-bearer for conservatism during his 2012 White House bid against President Barack Obama, the otherwise affable and soft-edged former governor understandably became a lightning rod for Democrats fighting for progressive convictions on issues like health care, the economy and personal freedoms.

But today, the nation finds itself confronting the collapse of the Republican Party as an ideological coalition. The shared mission of even establishment conservatives is trending increasingly toward undermining our institutions and holding power by attacking basic suffrage and fundamental equal protections. No matter how you felt about his individual policies, Romney stood with dignity in opposition to this evolution. For those who have left the party in recent years or those who still hope for a return to a more traditional GOP, his move is a disappointment and a clear loss.

Romney’s respect is well-earned. At the height of Donald Trump’s momentum during the 2016 GOP primaries, Romney, coming off his leadership role as the party’s 2012 nominee, gave an unprecedented address about and scathing critique of the brash front-runner. The New York Times noted that Romney’s criticism at the time “was so savage that historians strained to find any precedent in America politics” of a previous nominee’s attacking a prospective one. Romney called Trump a fraud and argued that the candidate’s promises were worthless. Trump, Romney warned, viewed Americans as suckers.

Romney has continued to hold course, at least where Trump’s gravest mistakes are concerned. He flatly declared that Trump “incited the insurrection” and later voted to convict the 45th president at impeachment.

[cotton1706]

David Jolly, in office, was a progressive Republican. So he mourns the loss of another progressive Republican.

Utah can now do what Orrin Hatch worked to prevent in bequeathing his Senate seat to Mitt Romney, that is, electing a CONSERVATIVE US Senator, not a progressive Republican.

[Trump_Triumphant]

Good riddance.

[wetgundog]

Don’t let the door hit you in the ass, RINO.

[fruser1]

"progressive convictions on issues like health care"

LOL, Romney care in MA was the test bed for national commie care. That was why I refused to vote for him.

[DaBroasta]

How did Utah become so politically liberal? I assume it’s because of a cancer being spread by invading California marxists.

[IamConservative]

Is he retiring or saving himself the embarrassment of being defeated in the primary?

[Vigilanteman]

I refuse to call them "progressives." They are regressive. Their policies would take us back to the feudal era where the entitled ruling class gets to rule and the rest of us are serfs.

You know I am right because it makes them angry.

[cotton1706]

“How did Utah become so politically liberal? I assume it’s because of a cancer being spread by invading California marxists.”

That’s probably part of it. But also because of the long-term US Senators disallowing any change. Orrin Hatch was a remnant of the progressive 1970’s, buddy to Ted Kennedy, etc.

Then there were shockwaves when in 2010 Mike Lee took out sitting senator Bob Bennett. McConnell, et al were PISSED. They were determined to hold on to power, so when Orrin Hatch wanted to retire, who did they turn to to bequeath the seat? Why, the former governor of Massachusetts and failed presidential candidate who called Donald Trump a phony and a fraud. But of course this same unscrupulous man wanted Trump’s endorsement for election.

[Alberta's Child]

Romney called Trump a fraud and argued that the candidate’s promises were worthless. Trump, Romney warned, viewed Americans as suckers.

And yet this same guy — once Trump won that 2016 election — went groveling and begging to Trump for a nomination to the U.S. Secretary of State post. I never voted for the guy in 2012, and I wouldn’t vote for him even if he was running against a pile of cow dung, because I despise these phony, two-faced @ssholes in positions of power.

I also consider Utah Republicans to be the dumbest voters in the country — for giving one of their two U.S. Senate seats to Massachusetts when they elected this jerk.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

The Bee has a great take on this:

Democrats Scramble To Find Replacement For Retiring Mitt Romney

[woweeitsme]

Always a hint of truth to the Bee’s “stories”. To think I voted for this clown for President.

[bray]

The Democrat Party is deeply troubled.

[FLT-bird]

The Democrats are sad they are losing a key operative and member of the uniparty.

[zeestephen]

The author...

David Jolly - Former Florida Congressman...

From Wiki...

"He was reelected in November 2014 but was defeated in 2016 by Democrat [and former Republican] Charlie Crist."

"After leaving office, Jolly became a prominent Republican critic of President Donald Trump."

"In September 2018, Jolly announced he had left the Republican Party."

[Demiurge2]

“confronting the collapse of the Republican Party as an ideological coalition.”
This falsely implies that Democrats are an ideological coalition, when they are bound together only by whatever benefits the job security, income and power of unionized government employees.

[Robert DeLong]

David Jolly is an American attorney, former lobbyist, and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 13th congressional district, based in Pinellas County, from 2014 to 2017.

He is a former Republican and served as general counsel to his predecessor, Republican Bill Young.2 Jolly has held virtually every position in Congress, from intern to Member, and has worked outside the Congress as an attorney and political consultant, as well as in specialty finance.

After losing his re-election bid, Jolly became an independent.

Since leaving office, Jolly has become a prominent Republican critic (but he's an Independent not a Republican) of President Donald Trump and has participated regularly as a political commentator on cable news sources such as CNN and MSNBC.

He considered running for lieutenant governor of Florida in 2018 on a bipartisan ticket, but ultimately decided not to run for any public office in 2018.

He's definitely a part of the Uni-party problem, not a solution to this nation's problems.

[antidemoncrat]

Mitt the Twit is a primary example of what’s wrong with the Republican party today. Unlike the Democrats who almost always stick together in the Republican party when important policies efforts come up for approval RINOs like him start their hissy fits and torpedo their effort.

[ExTxMarine]

Romney was Obama-lite and so too was McCain’t!!

Neither of those two A-Holes were ever a “standard-bearer for conservatism”!

I stopped reading this dramatized, FICTIONAL version of Mitt Romney: This Is Your Life (NOT) at that line!!

[napscoordinator]

He’s 76 freaking years old! Are the elderly not able to just retire now a day?

[wardamneagle]

Then he’ll run for President in 2028