Mitt Romney is expected to jump into the race for U.S. Senate next week. While it’s widely expected that Romney will gather the required 28,000 signatures to get on the ballot, our “Political Insiders” say he should go through the caucus/convention system too.
Because of the SB54 compromise from 2014, Romney could go around Republican delegates and still be on the June primary ballot. Republican Tanner Ainge did the same thing during last year’s special election in CD3.
Romney could also use both the signature and convention routes with minimal risk. If he somehow fails to get enough of the delegate vote at the convention, he would still be able to secure a slot on the primary ballot.
Sources close to Romney say gathering the 28,000 signatures will take about three weeks and should cost around $200,000.
Our “Political Insiders” say Romney would be wise to avail himself of both the convention and signature routes.
- 69% of the Republicans on our panel say Romney should take both paths. 13% say he should use the caucus route exclusively and 18% say he should do signatures only.
- 53% of the Democrats who responded said Romney should take both routes. 7% said convention only, while 40% think he should just gather signatures to get on the ballot.
- 45% of our readers think Romney would be best served by using both routes. 22% said Romney should use the convention route only, while 33% said signatures alone was the best way to go.
Selected anonymous comments:
He should do whatever he wants. I’d love to see him support our caucus process. That’s highly unlikely. And frankly, I don’t blame him if he didn’t. The party has gone wacko.
Does he really think he won’t get 40%+ at the convention? Why do signatures? He could donate the $200,000 to the party and help win some other GOP seats.
He can’t lose either way. If delegates reject him, it just makes him that much more appealing in the primary.
He should take both routes as no politician wants to offend the voters.
Romney is already on his way to spend a term in the U.S. Senate. Why would he want to spend a Saturday with crazy delegates?
By doing both, he won’t alienate the conservative Republicans who really care about this issue.
Romney is as far removed from the common man as Hillary is and would probably squeeze through a caucus but would see it as beneath him. He will write a check to secure his place on the ballot. No common man can afford to write a $200,000 check to collect signatures.
The caucus route is a waste of time and resources. Let the MAGA hats lament and win without them.
He has nothing to gain, and something to lose, by going to convention. Simple as that.
Romney should use any legal means to get on the ballot–as should any candidate. That said, Romney would probably win the election with a last-minute write-in campaign.
He would just be embarrassed by booing wackos at convention.
Both routes serve Mitt and the GOP voters of Utah well. Plus he will attract a lot of mainstream Republicans – not just the usual extreme-right Republicans – to the caucuses.
With their continued efforts to unto Count My Vote, the extreme wing of the Republican Party needs to be brought down several pegs. Mitt’s decision to ignore them completely by not going through the caucus would send that message.
He should take the Caucus/Convention route but, being a rich elitist he will pay someone to go out and gather signatures for him. As a Republican who worked for Mitt in 2012, my opinion of him has tanked. For the first time in my life, I am voting Libertarian.
He will easily win if he just does caucus. If he gets out there later to announce running on March 9th ( 1st day to officially file) he can get many less extreme right republicans to caucus. He needs to speak in support of that process strongly. Alternatively, he can do both, but I would encourage getting normal Republicans as delegates to get out of the party the crazies.
Our party is a private organization of people who are registered Republicans, and as such we should determine which candidates can represent us. If a candidate can not get the support of enough delegates to the state convention, that candidate should not claim to represent our state party.
He should use both routes to the ballot. He has the finances to gather signatures…so be it. He will also fare well at the convention. So, what if the anti-SB 54 folks get their noses bent out of shape? Good for Mitt. Whoops, I revealed my bias in favor of SB 54. Mitt will get the nomination if he files. He reminds me of “Star Wars” movies. The critics may have issues, but the fans pump in millions at the box-office.
He may take the signature route only to avoid the slight risk of an embarrassing outcome at convention. However, I’d love to see him take both routes and go to the convention.
He ought to make every effort to show he is demonstrably the choice of the people he chooses to represent.
Mr. Romney should only take the caucus/convention route because it truly is the most grassroots system there is allowing neighbors to come together and organize as parties and elect delegates. It’s truly sad that many candidates are opting to skip such a grassroots-level institution in favor of paying out money for professional signature gatherers.
The Republican caucus has turned in to (speaking as a caucus attendee) a gang fight to see who can “out-conservative” the other attendees. It’s a joke now. Romney needs to avoid it at all costs, if for no other reason than not to have to answer ridiculous questions from the public about the gold standard, free guns for toddlers, the “deep state”, UFO disclosure, the upcoming apocalypse predicted by Sister Jensen’s dream, and whatever else the far right nut cases are dreading.
Why waste time with the delegates?
Regardless of what path he takes, he’ll win. We may as well just have him replace Hatch now.
Send the final message to the extreme far right that controls the Republican caucus’ that their days are numbered. Time to let the moderate majority rule the Republican Party.
Show us you care… Spend time, not money. Go through the caucus system and have a two-way conversation with the delegates.
As long as it’s the law, it’s foolish to not take advantage of every route available.
The nominees produced by the Utah caucus/convention process are too often on the extreme far right. Please allow the good, wise Utah voters to make real choices. Curtis was the people’s choice against strong caucus/convention, knee-jerk, extreme Republicans. Hooray! Romney will represent the people of Utah, not the knee-jerk Republicans. —from a 72-year-old, lifelong, loyal, fed-up Republican.
