Mitt Romney

==Subsequent activities==
[[Image:Speaker Ryan with Governor & Ann Romney.tif|thumb|Mitt and [[Ann Romney]] with [[Paul Ryan]] in 2015]]

During the first year after his defeat, Romney generally kept a low profile,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-detached-romney-tends-wounds-in-seclusion-after-failed-white-house-bid/2012/12/01/4305079a-38a9-11e2-8a97-363b0f9a0ab3_story.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=A detached Romney tends wounds in seclusion after failed White House bid|date=December 1, 2012|last=Rucker|first=Phillip |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> with his ordinary daily activities around [[San Diego]] captured via social media glimpses.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hall: Stop taking pictures of Mitt in La Jolla |last=Hall |first=Matthew T. |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-hall-stop-taking-pictures-of-mitt-in-la-jolla-2012dec12-story.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |newspaper=[[U-T San Diego]] |date=December 12, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021193900/http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/dec/12/mitt-romneys-political-career-sunsets-in-la-jolla/ |archive-date=October 21, 2013 }}</ref> In December 2012, he joined the board of Marriott International for a third stint as a director.<ref name="ap-mbd-3">{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/mitt-romney-rejoins-marriott-board-200634290--finance.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Mitt Romney rejoins Marriott board|date=December 3, 2012|agency=[[Associated Press]]|last=Bomkamp|first=Samantha|publisher=[[Yahoo! News]]}}</ref> In March 2013, Romney gave a reflective interview on ''[[Fox News Sunday]]'', saying, "It kills me not to be there, not to be in the White House doing what needs to be done." He again expressed regret at the "47 percent" remark, saying "There's no question that hurt and did real damage to my campaign."<ref>{{cite news|last=Whitesides|first=John|title=A reflective Romney emerges from seclusion, rips Obama|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-romney/a-reflective-romney-emerges-from-seclusion-rips-obama-idUSBRE9220DG20130303 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |work=[[Reuters]]|date=March 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Miller |first=Jake |title=Mitt Romney: 'It kills me' to not be in the White House|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitt-romney-it-kills-me-to-not-be-in-the-white-house/ |access-date=February 6, 2020 |work=[[CBS News]]|date=March 3, 2013}}</ref> (He echoed both those sentiments a year later.<ref name="nyt-noquit"/>) Romney began working as executive partner group chairman for Solamere Capital, a private capital firm in Boston owned by his son Tagg.<ref name="bg-year-later"/> He was also involved in supporting several charitable causes.<ref name="bg-year-later"/>

The Romneys bought a home in the [[Deer Valley]] area of [[Park City, Utah]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/trulia/2013/10/08/mitt-romney-buys-park-city-utah-home/|title=Mitt Romney Buys Massive Park City, Utah Mansion|magazine=[[Forbes]]|date=October 8, 2013}}</ref><ref name="slt-vreg"/> and a property in [[Holladay, Utah]], where they planned to tear down an existing house and build a new one.<ref name="bg-year-later">{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2013/11/04/year-after-defeat-mitt-romney-seeks-reemerge-public-voice/06CtD7uSjcFQjccl7S86eM/story.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Mitt Romney carefully looks to raise public voice|first1=Matt|last1=Viser|first2=Michael|last2=Kranish|newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]]|date=November 4, 2013}}</ref> They also gained long-sought permission to replace their La Jolla home with a much bigger one, including a car elevator that had brought some derision during the 2012 campaign.<ref name="bg-year-later"/><ref name="slt-rooms"/> Romney and his siblings continued to own a cottage in a [[gated community]] called [[Beach O' Pines]] south of [[Grand Bend, Ontario]], which has been in the family for more than 60 years.<ref>{{cite news |last=Humphreys|first=Adrian|date=November 3, 2012|title=Mitt Romney's Canadian 'white house': Family has vacationed at cottage in private, gated Ontario community for 60 years |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/mitt-romneys-canadian-white-house-family-has-vacationed-at-cottage-in-private-gated-ontario-community-for-60-years |newspaper=[[National Post]]|location=Toronto |access-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref> With the new acquisitions the couple briefly had five homes, near each of their five sons and their families, and the couple continued to spend considerable time with their grandchildren, who by 2013 numbered 22.<ref name="bg-year-later"/><ref name="slt-rooms">{{cite news|url=https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=57030430&itype=CMSID |title=The hidden room inside Mitt Romney's new Utah house|first1=Matt|last1=Canham|first2=Thomas|last2=Burr|newspaper=[[The Salt Lake Tribune]]|date=October 26, 2013 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref> They then sold the condominium in Belmont and decided to make their main residence in Utah,<ref name="nyt-noquit">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/05/magazine/mitt-isnt-ready-to-call-it-quits-just-yet.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140930185319/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/05/magazine/mitt-isnt-ready-to-call-it-quits-just-yet.html |archive-date=September 30, 2014 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Mitt Isn't Ready to Call It Quits|first=Mark|last=Leibovich|magazine=[[The New York Times]] Magazine|date=September 30, 2014}}</ref> switching their voter registration.<ref name="slt-vreg">{{cite news|url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/58481404-90/address-driver-lake-license.html.csp |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Despite voter-registration snafu Mitt Romney not shunning GOP |first=Thomas|last=Burr|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|date=October 2, 2014}}</ref> The 2014 documentary film ''[[Mitt (film)|Mitt]]'' showed a behind-the-scenes, family-based perspective on both of Romney's presidential campaigns and received positive reviews for humanizing Romney and illustrating the toll campaigning takes.<ref name="nyt-noquit"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/mitt-romney-netflix-documentary-review-2014-1 |title=The New Mitt Romney Documentary Is Fantastic, and It Exposes the Fundamental Flaw in a Lot of Campaigns|first=Brett|last=Logiurato |work=[[Business Insider]] |date=January 25, 2014 |access-date=February 6, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="bg-2016-run">{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2014/02/15/some-mitt-romney-supporters-suggesting-consider-running-for-president/1v0HwrHNm9fQgEI1YlIc3J/story.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=No, no, not again, Mitt Romney says|first=Matt|last=Viser|newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]]|date=February 15, 2014}}</ref>

Romney thought he might be branded a "loser for life" and fade into an obscurity like [[Michael Dukakis]]<ref name="nyt-noquit"/> (a similar figure with no obvious base of political support who had lost what his party considered a winnable presidential election)<ref name="db-cb">{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/mitt-romney-hes-back |title=Mitt Romney on the 2016 Comeback Trail |first=Eleanor |last=Clift |work=[[The Daily Beast]] |date=February 7, 2014 |access-date=February 6, 2020 }}</ref> but, to the surprise of many political observers, that did not happen.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://theweek.com/articles/444110/amazing-resurrection-mitt-romney |title=The amazing resurrection of Mitt Romney |first=Ryu |last=Spaeth |magazine=[[The Week]] |date=August 29, 2014 |access-date=February 6, 2020 }}</ref> Romney reemerged onto the political scene in the run-up to the [[2014 United States elections|2014 U.S. midterm elections]], endorsing, campaigning, and fundraising for a number of Republican candidates, especially [[2014 United States Senate elections|those running for the U.S. Senate]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Costa|first=Robert|title=Mitt Romney returns to political stage as Republicans prepare for midterms|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romney-returns-to-political-stage-as-republicans-prepare-for-midterms/2014/04/18/551c4b22-c634-11e3-bf7a-be01a9b69cf1_story.html|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=April 18, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/cant-quit-mitt-friends-say-romney-feels-nudge-to-consider-a-2016-presidential-run/2014/10/13/2cb19d12-52ee-11e4-892e-602188e70e9c_story.html |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Can't quit Mitt: Friends say Romney feels nudge to consider a 2016 presidential run |first1=Philip |last1=Rucker |first2=Robert |last2=Costa |author-link2=Robert Costa (journalist)|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=October 13, 2014}}</ref>

Romney was treated for [[prostate cancer]] in summer 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2018/01/08/mitt-romney-was-treated-successfully-for-prostate-cancer/|title=Mitt Romney was 'treated successfully' for prostate cancer|first=Philip|last=Rucker|date=January 8, 2018|access-date=January 9, 2018|via=WashingtonPost.com}}</ref>

===2016 presidential election===
{{external media|width=210px|float=right|headerimage=[[File:Mitt Romney by Gage Skidmore 9.jpg|250px]]
|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iefXdC794I Watch Mitt Romney's full March 3 speech: 'Trump is a phony, a fraud'], 17:49, see 2;40–10:00, [[PBS Newshour]]<ref name="pbs1">{{cite news |first=Judy |last=Woodruff |title=Romney reappears to lead GOP charge against 'phony' Trump|publisher=[[PBS]]|date=March 3, 2016 |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/romney-reappears-to-lead-gop-charge-against-phony-trump/|access-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref>
|video2=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WvLe9CHcNY Donald Trump responds to Romney's comments at Maine rally], 43:25, see 7:50–10:00, [[PBS Newshour]]
}}

By early 2014, the lack of a clear mainstream Republican candidate for the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 presidential election]] led some supporters, donors, and pollsters to suggest that Romney stage a third run.<ref name="bg-2016-run"/> Regarding such a possibility, Romney at first refused.<ref name="bg-2016-run"/> Nevertheless, speculation continued: Obama's declining popularity led to remorse among some voters; the [[2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine]] made Romney's "number one geopolitical foe" remark look prescient; and an August 2014 poll of Iowa Republicans showed Romney with a large lead there over other potential 2016 candidates.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-redux-is-the-media-chorus-for-another-mitt-campaign-just-a-fantasy |title=Romney Redux: Is the media chorus for another Mitt campaign just a fantasy? |first=Howard |last=Kurtz |author-link=Howard Kurtz |work=[[Fox News]] |date=September 3, 2014 |access-date=February 6, 2020 }}</ref> A July 2014 CNN poll showed Romney with a 53% to 44% lead over Obama in a hypothetical election "redo".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theweek.com/speedreads/449247/americans-really-wish-elected-mitt-romney-instead-obama |first=Jon |last=Terbush |title=Americans really wish they had elected Mitt Romney instead of Obama |publisher=Theweek.com |date=July 27, 2014 |access-date=September 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Noah |last=Rothman |url=https://hotair.com/archives/noah-rothman/2014/07/27/if-voters-had-it-to-do-over-romney-in-a-landslide/ |title=If voters had it to do over, Romney in a landslide |work=[[Hot Air]] |date=July 27, 2014 |access-date=September 12, 2017}}</ref>

By early 2015, Romney was considering the idea and contacting his network of supporters.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/romney-tells-donors-he-is-considering-2016-white-house-bid-1420839312 |title=Romney Tells Donors He Is Considering 2016 White House Bid|first1=Patrick|last1=O'Connor|first2=Beth|last2=Reinhard|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=January 9, 2015}}</ref><ref name="wapo-3-2016">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romney-moves-to-reassemble-campaign-apparatus-for-2016/2015/01/12/d968592e-9a88-11e4-96cc-e858eba91ced_story.html |title=Romney moves to reassemble campaign team for 'almost certain' 2016 bid|first1=Robert|last1=Costa|first2=Philip|last2=Rucker|first3=Karen|last3=Tumulty|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=January 12, 2015}}</ref> In doing so he was positioning himself in the [[invisible primary]] – the preliminary jockeying for the backing of party leaders, donors, and political operatives – against former Florida governor [[Jeb Bush]], who had already set a likely campaign in motion and would be a rival to Romney for establishment Republican support.<ref name="wapo-3-2016" /><ref name="NYT4915">{{cite news|first=Nate |last=Cohn|title=The G.O.P. Presidential Field Looks Chaotic. It's Not|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/10/upshot/-2015-04-10-2016-elections-upshot-the-gop-presidential-field-looks-chaotic-its-nothtml.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409192806/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/10/upshot/-2015-04-10-2016-elections-upshot-the-gop-presidential-field-looks-chaotic-its-nothtml.html |archive-date=April 9, 2015 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=April 9, 2015 |access-date=February 6, 2020 }}</ref> Despite support in some quarters for a third bid for the presidency, there was a backlash from conservatives who wanted a fresher face without a history of presidential losses,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/mitt-romney-backlash-2016-elections-114275 |title=Mitt Romney backlash intensifies |first=Katie |last=Glueck |newspaper=[[Politico]]|date=January 15, 2015 |access-date=February 6, 2020 }}</ref> and many of Romney's past donors were not willing to commit to him again.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/31/us/mitt-romney-2016-presidential-election.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150130170120/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/31/us/mitt-romney-2016-presidential-election.html |archive-date=January 30, 2015 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Support Waning, Romney Decides Against 2016 Bid |first1=Ashley |last1=Parker |first2=Jonathan |last2=Martin |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 30, 2015 |access-date=February 6, 2020 }}</ref> On January 30, 2015, Romney announced that he would not run for president in 2016, saying that while he thought he could win the nomination, "one of our next generation of Republican leaders" would be better positioned to win the general election.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/01/30/2016-scramble-former-romney-backers-strategist-shifting-to-bush/|title=Romney announces he will not run for president in 2016 |work=[[Fox News]] |date=January 30, 2015|access-date=January 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150130153813/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/01/30/2016-scramble-former-romney-backers-strategist-shifting-to-bush/ |first=Serafin |last=Gomez |archive-date=January 30, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/01/30/text-of-romneys-statement-on-decision-not-to-run-in-2016/ |access-date=February 6, 2020 |title=Text of Romney's Statement on Decision Not to Run in 2016 |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=January 30, 2015}}</ref>

===Relationship with Donald Trump===
As the presidential election went into primary season, Romney had not endorsed anyone but was one of the Republican establishment figures who were becoming increasingly concerned about the front-runner status of New York businessman [[Donald Trump]].<ref name="nyt-desperate">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/us/politics/donald-trump-republican-party.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160227143425/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/us/politics/donald-trump-republican-party.html |archive-date=February 27, 2016 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |first1=Alexander |last1=Burns |first2=Maggie |last2=Haberman |author-link2=Maggie Haberman |first3=Jonathan |last3=Martin |title=Inside the Republican Party's Desperate Mission to Stop Donald Trump |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 27, 2016}}</ref> Romney publicly criticized Trump for not releasing his taxes, saying there might be a "bombshell" in them.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-stands-by-trump-tax-criticism-though-offers-no-proof |title=Romney stands by Trump tax criticism, though offers no proof |first=Kelly |last=Vlahos |publisher=[[Fox News]]|date=February 25, 2016}}</ref> Trump responded by calling Romney "one of the dumbest and worst candidates in the history of Republican politics".<ref name="nyt-desperate" /> In a [[Mitt Romney's 2016 anti-Trump speech|March 3, 2016]] speech at the [[Hinckley Institute of Politics]], Romney made a scathing attack on Trump's personal behavior, business performance, and domestic and foreign policy stances. He said Trump was "a phony, a fraud ... He's playing members of the American public for suckers" and that "if we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mitt-romney-frying-donald-trump-163100449.html|title=Mitt Romney fried Donald Trump in an epic speech|agency=[[Business Insider]]|publisher=[[Yahoo! Finance]]|date=March 3, 2016|first=Allan|last=Smith|access-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Romneyslam">{{cite news|last1=O'Keefe|first1=Ed|title=Mitt Romney slams 'phony' Trump: He's playing 'the American public for suckers'|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/03/03/mitt-romney-trump-is-a-phony-a-fraud-who-is-playing-the-american-public-for-suckers/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=March 3, 2016|access-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref> In response, Trump dismissed Romney as a "choke artist".<ref name="Romneyslam" /> Romney's speech represented an unprecedented attack by a major U.S. party's most recent presidential nominee against the party's current front-runner for the nomination.<ref name="Romneyslam" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/04/politics/donald-trump-mitt-romney-republican-party/  |title=GOP at war with itself |first=Stephen |last=Collinson |work=[[CNN]]|date=March 5, 2016 |access-date=February 6, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Benen |author-link=Steve Benen |url=https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/mitt-romney-picks-side-sort |title=Mitt Romney picks a side (sort of)|website=[[MSNBC]]|access-date=March 28, 2016 |date=March 21, 2016}}</ref>
[[File:President Trump Hosts a Listening Session (49118848461) (cropped).jpg|thumb|250x250px|Romney with [[President of the United States|President]] [[Donald Trump]] during a White House listening session on the youth vaping and electronic cigarette epidemic in 2019.]]
Romney encouraged Republicans to engage in [[tactical voting]], by supporting whichever of the remaining rivals had the best chance to beat Trump in any given state.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUKKCN0W50FF |title=Republican Romney calls Trump 'a fraud,' creates pathway to contested convention |first=Steve |last=Holland |work=[[Reuters]]|date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=February 6, 2020 }}</ref> As such, Romney announced he was voting for, although not endorsing, [[Ted Cruz]] for president in the [[United States presidential election in Utah, 2016|March 22 Utah caucus]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/18/politics/mitt-romney-ted-cruz-utah/ |title=Mitt Romney to vote for Ted Cruz in Utah |first=Theodore |last=Schleifer |work=[[CNN]]|date=March 19, 2016}}</ref> As the race went on, there was some evidence that tactical voting was occurring, and some partial arrangements were formed among candidates,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://time.com/4255838/donald-trump-marco-rubio-john-kasich/ |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title=Marco Rubio Says Ohio Should Vote Kasich to Stop Trump|first=Alex|last=Altman|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=March 11, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2016/04/25/475607754/the-cruz-kasich-deal-will-their-alliance-against-trump-work |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title=The Cruz-Kasich Deal: Will Their Alliance Against Trump Work? |first=Scott |last=Detrow |work=[[NPR]] |date=April 25, 2016}}</ref> but by May 3, Trump had defeated all his opponents and became the party's presumptive nominee. Romney announced that he would not support Trump in the general election, saying, "I am dismayed at where we are now. I wish we had better choices."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/mitt-romney-donald-trump-222881 |title=Romney says he won't back Trump |first=Hanna |last=Trudo |work=[[Politico]] |date=May 6, 2016 |access-date=February 6, 2020 }}</ref>

In June, Romney said that he would not vote for Democratic nominee [[Hillary Clinton]], saying: "It's a matter of personal conscience. I can't vote for either of those two people." He suggested that he might vote for a third-party candidate, or [[Write-in candidate|write in]] his wife's name, saying she would be "an ideal president". When pressed on which of Trump and Clinton was more qualified to be president, Romney quoted [[P. J. O'Rourke]]: "Hillary Clinton is wrong on every issue, but she's wrong within the normal parameters."<ref name="consciencewont">{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/06/mitt-romney-my-conscience-wont-allow-me-to-vote-for-donald-trump-or-hillary-clinton/489473/|title=Mitt Romney: My Conscience Won't Allow Me to Vote for Trump or Clinton|author=Conor Friedersdorf|publisher=[[The Atlantic]]|date=June 29, 2016|access-date=November 13, 2016}}</ref>

Romney considered voting for the Libertarian ticket of former Republican governors [[Gary Johnson]] and [[Bill Weld]] (the latter, like Romney, also a former governor of Massachusetts), saying that he would "get to know Gary Johnson better and see if he's someone who I could end up voting for", adding that "if Bill Weld were at the top of the ticket, it would be very easy for me to vote for Bill Weld for president."<ref name=trickledown/> In September, he called for Johnson to be included in the [[United States presidential election debates, 2016|presidential debates]]<ref name=trickledown>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/10/politics/mitt-romney-donald-trump-racism/ |title=Mitt Romney says Donald Trump will change America with 'trickle-down racism'|first=Theodore |last=Schleifer |work=[[CNN]]|date=June 11, 2016|access-date=November 13, 2016}}</ref> and in October it emerged that Independent candidate [[Evan McMullin]] was using an email list of 2.5 million Romney supporters to raise money.<ref name="evanusing">{{cite web|url=https://www.deseret.com/2016/10/3/20597461/independent-presidential-candidate-evan-mcmullin-using-mitt-romney-email-list-to-raise-money |title=Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin using Mitt Romney email list to raise money |first=Lisa Riley |last=Roche |work=[[Deseret News]]|date=October 3, 2016|access-date=November 13, 2016}}</ref> McMullin's chief strategist said that it was purchased from Romney for President and that "we'll let other folks discuss what that may mean and certainly never speak for [Romney]."<ref name="evanusing" /> A spokeswoman for Romney said that the list had been "rented by several political candidates in the presidential primary, and by countless other political and commercial users in the time since the 2012 campaign"<ref name="evanusing" /> and Romney made no public comment on McMullin's candidacy.<ref name="romneycast">{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/mitt-romney-has-cast-his-ballot-but-hasnt-revealed-whom-he-voted-for-2016-11 |title=Mitt Romney has cast his ballot – but hasn't revealed whom he voted for|author=Mark Abadi|publisher=[[Business Insider]] UK|date=November 2, 2016|access-date=November 13, 2016}}</ref> Romney and his wife cast early ballots in Utah, but he declined to say who he voted for.<ref name="romneycast" /> In May 2018, Romney revealed that he had cast a write-in vote for his wife Ann.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900020076/mitt-romney-reveals-his-2016-presidential-vote.html|title=Mitt Romney reveals his 2016 presidential vote|author=Dennis Romboy|publisher=[[Deseret News]]|date=May 30, 2018|access-date=February 24, 2019}}</ref>

After Trump won the election, Romney congratulated him by phone and on Twitter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2016/11/13/mitt-romney-called-to-congratulate-donald-trump-on-his-election-night-win|title=Mitt Romney called to congratulate Donald Trump on his election night win|author=Nik DeCosta-Klipa|publisher=Boston.com|date=November 13, 2016|access-date=November 13, 2016}}</ref> On November 19, Romney met with him at the [[Trump National Golf Club (Bedminster, New Jersey)|Trump National Golf Club]] in [[Bedminster, New Jersey]], reportedly to discuss the position of [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-romney-meet-for-far-reaching-conversation-after-lobbing-shots-during-campaign |title=Trump meets with Romney, secretary of state job to potentially be discussed|date=November 19, 2016|newspaper=[[Fox News]]|language=en-US|access-date=November 19, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/us/politics/donald-trump-mitt-romney-secretary-state.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120001231/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/us/politics/donald-trump-mitt-romney-secretary-state.html |archive-date=November 20, 2016 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2020 |title=Trump Meets with Romney as He Starts to Look Outside His Inner Circle |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=November 19, 2016 |author1=Michael S. Schmidt |author2=Julie Hirschfeld|author1-link=Michael S. Schmidt }}</ref> which ultimately went to [[Rex Tillerson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/12/us/politics/rex-tillerson-secretary-of-state-trump.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213033742/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/12/us/politics/rex-tillerson-secretary-of-state-trump.html |archive-date=December 13, 2016 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Rex Tillerson, Exxon C.E.O., Chosen as Secretary of State|author1=Michael D. Shear |author2=Maggie Haberman|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 12, 2016|access-date=January 2, 2017}}</ref> In February 2017, Romney said that Trump was "off to a very strong start" in fulfilling his campaign promises, although he had "no regrets" about his anti-Trump speech.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chasmar|first1=Jessica|title=Mitt Romney: Donald Trump 'off to a very strong start' |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/6/mitt-romney-trump-off-to-a-very-strong-start/ |access-date=February 6, 2017|work=The Washington Times|date=February 6, 2017}}</ref> The next year, Trump endorsed Romney's 2018 senate campaign.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Watkins|first1=Eli|title=Trump endorses Mitt Romney for Senate|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/19/politics/mitt-romney-donald-trump-utah/index.html|access-date=February 20, 2018|work=[[CNN]]|date=February 19, 2018}}</ref>

===2018 United States Senate campaign in Utah===
{{Main|2018 United States Senate election in Utah}}
[[File:Swearing in of Mitt Romney.jpg|thumb|left|Romney being sworn in as Senator from Utah by Vice President [[Mike Pence]]]]

September and October 2017 press reports said that should U.S. Senator [[Orrin Hatch]] retire, Romney would run for that seat in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2017/09/11/poll-mitt-romney-would-handily-win-utahs-senate-seat-if-hatch-doesnt-run/ |title=Mitt Romney is considering a Senate run if Orrin Hatch retires, and a new poll shows he'd likely win – The Salt Lake Tribune |publisher=Sltrib.com |date=March 15, 2013 |access-date=September 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/10/hatch-romney/544211/ |title=Orrin Hatch Tells Friends He Plans to Retire |publisher=[[The Atlantic]] |date=October 27, 2017 |access-date=December 7, 2017}}</ref> On January 2, 2018, after Hatch announced that he would retire, Romney changed his Twitter location from Massachusetts to [[Holladay, Utah]], contributing to speculation that he was considering a Senate campaign.<ref>{{cite news|title=Romney Changes Location on Twitter as Utah Senate Seat Opens|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-02/romney-changes-location-on-twitter-as-utah-senate-seat-opens|author=Kapur, Sahil|date=January 2, 2018|publisher=[[Bloomberg News]]|access-date=January 2, 2018}}</ref> On February 16, 2018, Romney formally launched his campaign with a video message posted on Facebook and Twitter.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Reston|first1=Maeve|title=Romney announces US Senate run|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/16/politics/mitt-romney-senate-utah/index.html|website=[[CNN]]|date=February 16, 2018 |access-date=February 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/02/16/mitt-romney-officially-running-u-s-senate/344415002/|title=Mitt Romney is officially running for U.S. Senate|author=Rossman, Sean|work=[[USA Today]]|date=December 11, 2019|access-date=September 4, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/02/16/mitt-romney-former-presidential-nominee-announces-his-bid-for-utahs-us-senate-seat/|title=Mitt Romney outlines policies to cap his first day of campaigning for Utah's soon-to-be-open U.S. Senate seat|website=The Salt Lake Tribune}}</ref>

At the state Republican nominating convention held on April 21, 2018, Romney received 1,585 delegate votes (49.1%), finishing second to [[Utah House of Representatives|State Representative]] [[Mike Kennedy (politician)|Mike Kennedy]], with 1,642 delegate votes (50.9%). Since neither Romney nor Kennedy garnered the 60% of delegate votes necessary to claim the endorsement, they competed in a June 26 primary election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/21/politics/romney-utah-gop-convention/index.html|title=Mitt Romney fails to secure Utah GOP nomination, will face primary|last=Reston|first=Maeve|website=[[CNN]]|date=April 21, 2018|access-date=June 27, 2018}}</ref> In the primary, Romney defeated Kennedy, 71.7–28.3%.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/26/us/elections/results-utah-primary-elections-ul.html|title=Utah Primary Election Results|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=June 26, 2018|access-date=June 27, 2018}}</ref>

Romney was [[2018 United States Senate election in Utah#Results 3|elected]] U.S. Senator from Utah on November 6, defeating Democratic nominee [[Jenny Wilson (politician)|Jenny Wilson]], 62.6% to 30.9%.<ref>{{Citation|last=Romboy|first=Dennis|title=What can Utah, U.S. expect from Mitt Romney in the Senate?|newspaper=[[Deseret News]]|date=November 7, 2018|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900040899/what-can-utah-us-expect-from-mitt-romney-in-the-senate.html|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-date=November 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108012133/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900040899/what-can-utah-us-expect-from-mitt-romney-in-the-senate.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

With his election, Romney became the third person to have served as governor of one state and senator from another state.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://editions.lib.umn.edu/smartpolitics/2017/09/14/mitt-romney-prepares-for-unusual-us-senate-bid/|title=Mitt Romney Prepares for Unusual US Senate Bid {{!}} Smart Politics|website=editions.lib.umn.edu|language=en-CA|access-date=April 1, 2018|date=September 14, 2017}}</ref> (The other two were [[William Wyatt Bibb|William W. Bibb]], who served as a [[List of United States senators from Georgia|U.S. senator from Georgia]] and then the first [[List of governors of Alabama|governor of Alabama]], and [[Sam Houston]], who was the sixth [[governor of Tennessee]] before becoming a [[List of United States senators from Texas|U.S. senator from Texas]].)<ref name=":0" />