Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, told MSNBC’s Chris Matthews that he thinks Mitt Romney will run for president in 2016 and that he “will be the next president of the United States.” The former Massachusetts governor lost the 2008 Republican primary and then the 2012 general election. What would be his slogan for 2016: “Third time’s the charm”?
Former GOP Rep. Joe Scarborough urged attendees at Romney’s annual GOP summit last month to join the draft movement. Over 50,000 people have signed the “Draft Mitt” petition. One-time Romney adviser Emil Henry wrote in Politico “The Mitt Romney Case in 2016.” Only Romney, he argued, could “roll into any major money center like New York, Los Angeles or Houston and mobilize his fundraisers on demand.”
I think Romney ran a solid campaign in 2012. Like 45 percent of Quinnipiac poll respondents, I believe America would be better off today if Romney were in the Oval Office. I also like the debate where Hillary Clinton and Romney firmly agree that a couple can own two mansions and still be “broke.”
However, if Romney is thinking about running in 2016 (and he claims he is not), my advice is to stay home, or more precisely, in one of your homes. Stay at home with a car lift. Don’t give New York Times columnist Gail Collins an excuse to resurrect Seamus, the family dog ​​forced into a cage on the roof of the family car while on vacation in 1983.
Republicans remember Romney fondly. If he continues to run, he risks turning into another Newt Gingrich, a Republican who doesn’t know when to leave the stage.
Insiders tell me that if Jeb Bush had not entered the race, Romney would have been the favorite by default. There are two problems with this thinking. First, while Bush was a good governor of Florida, he hasn’t won a campaign since he was re-elected in 2002. Like Romney, who won the 2002 election, Bush represents the past. Second, party leaders and substantial donors may want to be kingmakers – hence their rush to announce a favorite – but that’s what voters should do.
I admit that the 2012 primaries were ponderous torture for me. It didn’t facilitate that once insiders declared Romney the favorite, there was an ugly fight to advance the Republican who could beat him. I’m in no rush to repeat this freak show – especially since there are so many compelling Republicans with a straight face. Consider New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Senator Rob Portman and Governor John Kasich of Ohio, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Sense. Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky can look in the mirror and hear “Hail to the Chief.”
The only thing Romney and his substantial money can do is drive forceful rivals out of the race. When this happens, the party finds itself trapped with leftovers like Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, and Newter – candidates who only want attention, not party building. Think Dr. Ben Carson in 2016.
Ultimately, the contest didn’t facilitate Romney either. Forced to move further and further to the right, Romney balked at becoming a competent, moderate governor of Massachusetts. He can’t go home again.
