Senator Mitt Romney, once Republican presidential nominee turned persona non grata after voting twice for the impeachments of President-elect Donald Trump, conceded some ground in a Sunday interview on CNN. Speaking with Jake Tapper on State of the Union, the soon-to-retire Senator from Utah said:
MAGA is the Republican Party and Donald Trump is the Republican Party today. And if you were to ask me who the nominee will be in 2028, it would be JD Vance. Alright? He’s smart, well-spoken, a part of the MAGA movement.
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Tapper interjected by confronting Romney with previous criticism of Vance, which Romney quickly brushed off, saying:
I’m not going to rehash history, and we’ve worked together in the Senate together since then.
Romney continued:
That is what the Republican Party is, will the party need to change? Look, the Republican Party has become the party of the working-class, middle-class voter. And you’ve got to give Donald Trump credit for having done that—taking that away from the Democrats.
The broken clock strikes again. Populism, as embraced by the MAGA movement, centers around the idea of representing the interests and concerns of everyday working-class Americans against what they perceive as an out-of-touch political establishment. This populist vision often contrasts the “elites” – including political figures, corporate leaders, and the legacy media – with the “common people,” giving rise to “America First” policies. This brand of populism prioritizes policies that protect U.S. jobs, industries, and national sovereignty.
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However, Romney’s latest sentiments contrast with his view of the party factions just over one year ago. In September 2023, he did not predict the sustained influence of MAGA forces within the party, instead framing himself as a part of what he called the “wise” and enduring wing of Republicans.
As he announced he would not seek re-election, Romney told CNN:
Tump is the leader of the greatest portion of the Republican Party. It’s a populist, demagogue portion of the party. I represent a small wing of the party. I call it the wise wing of the Republican Party. I don’t believe we’re going away.
In the wake of November’s election, even Romney can’t deny the lasting influence of MAGA. Romney now concedes that Trump’s populism has reshaped the party, especially in appealing to working-class voters. His prediction of JD Vance as the 2028 Republican presidential nominee further solidifies the trajectory of a party firmly under the sway of Trumpism.
Romney’s term ends on January 3, 2025.
