Mitt Romney has spent his last few years in the U.S. Senate being hostile toward Donald Trump and the America-First agenda.
And on his way out, Romney is hell-bent on making sure his replacement is every bit as anti-MAGA.
But now the twice-failed Presidential candidate is fuming about this Trump-backed candidate who just became the frontrunner to take Romney’s seat.
Mitt Romney’s plans blow up . . . again
Along with Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME), Mitt Romney (R-UT) has been among the most anti-Trump Republican Senators in Congress.
He even voted to convict Trump of impeachment charges and has said he will not vote for Trump against President Joe Biden in the 2024 election.
If Trump does secure a second term in the White House this November, he won’t have to worry about Romney running interference to his MAGA agenda.
The 77-year-old former Governor of Massachusetts has decided to do what all “Conservatives Under Nominal Terms” elected officials should – opted not to run for re-election.
But Romney was hoping to hand-pick his successor.
And the man Romney wanted to fill his anti-MAGA shoes was the former Republican Speaker of Utah’s House of Representatives, Brad Wilson.
However, Romney and Wilson were just dealt a blow that could prove to be a campaign killer.
Mayor Staggs wins party endorsement
The Beehive State primary to nominate the Republican candidate to replace Romney will be held on June 25.
However, the state GOP decided to officially nominate and endorse Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs as its candidate of choice at the Utah Republican Party Convention on April 27.
“Let’s replace Joe Biden’s favorite Republican with Donald Trump’s favorite Republican in Utah,” Staggs said Saturday following his nomination.
While Staggs ultimately needs the vote of Utah voters in the primary, the party endorsement should position him as the frontrunner over his primary rivals, Wilson and current third district Congressman John Curtis as well as other hopefuls.
Wilson and Curtis both belong to the more moderate wing of the GOP.
And their hopes to make it to November’s general election took another big hit recently.
Donald Trump supports Mayor Staggs
Shortly before Mayor Staggs scored his party’s endorsement, he secured another endorsement that is likely even more helpful to his bid to be Utah’s next junior U.S. Senator.
It turns out, Former President Donald Trump is a big fan of Staggs.
“Trent Staggs is 100% MAGA, and is running to fill The Mitt Romney, a Total Loser, Seat as the next Senator from the Great State of Utah,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “A Highly Successful Entrepreneur, who has served brilliantly as Mayor of Riverton for the past six years, Trent knows how to Create Jobs, Stop Inflation, Grow the Economy, and Secure the Border. As your next Senator, Trent will help us Unleash American Energy, Support our Military/Vets, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Trent Staggs has my Complete and Total Endorsement – He will be a GREAT Senator, and never let you down!”
Staggs has also been endorsed by talk show host Mark Levin, Turning Point USA, the Utah State Fraternal Order of Police, and the Utah Republican Veterans’ Caucus.
The type of Senator Staggs promises to be
Unlike his chief primary opponents, Staggs has filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey.
When asked what he believes the greatest challenge facing the United States, Staggs wrote:
“So-called progressives are driving our country off the cliff. In recent years, Americans have seen their savings wiped out by needlessly high gas prices, record-high inflation, and a cratering stock market. Many are still carrying the psychological and economic scars of the lockdowns,” Staggs wrote.
“Schools have gone from centers of education to woke indoctrination centers for our children. Once-great cities have become crime-ridden fiefdoms, our military’s standing has been diminished, our border is under siege, and our treasury is $32 trillion in debt,” he continued. “If the leaders who’ve put America on this course are not replaced, the only conceivable destination is ruin.”
In the survey Staggs also listed Republicans Mike Lee of Utah, Rick Scott (R-FL), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Rand Paul (R-KY) as the Senators he looks at as models to follow.
Political Animal News will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.