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By Mark Wright
Romney Will Consider Running in Utah
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH -- Mitt Romney has suffered through years of
accusations regarding bribery, favoritism, and disgruntled donors.
And all of that in spite of his failure to be elected to public
office. Romney has spent the last few years picking up the pieces of
the scandal-plagued Olympic bid and preparing Utah to be the host of
the Olympics. Now that his arguably successful stint as the erstwhile
savior of the 2002 Winter Games is drawing to a close, it's time for
Romney to consider what he might do next.
Romney, an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, has recently hinted that while he's ready to return to
politics, it might not be in Massachusetts where he unsuccessfully
campaigned for Edward M. Kennedy's Senate seat in 1996. Although
Romney had earlier indicated that he would certainly consider public
office, until recently he had steadfastly maintained that he would be
pursuing politics in Massachusetts. Then, last week, Romney hinted
that he might be changing his mind. "I have to be honest, I will
survey the political landscape in Massachusetts and in Utah," Romney
told The Salt Lake Tribune during a recent interview. Given his high
profile and recent successes associated with Olympics, Romney would
be considered a viable candidate for almost any political office in
Utah, including Governor or Congress.
While Romney is considered a fairly conservative Republican in his
home town of Boston, he would probably fit into Utah's political
spectrum a little closer to the other end. A pro-choice advocate,
Romney would certainly be welcomed by the Utah Democratic Party if he
ran for office in the state of Utah. The speculation that Romney
might run in Utah as a Democrat has apparently been sparked by
Romney's good friend, Utah Democrat and developer Kem Gardner, who
played a key role in enticing Romney to serve on the SLOC two years
ago. State Democratic Party Chairwoman Meghan Holbrook said her party
is not recruiting Romney, but would have to consider him a strong
contender in a Republican-dominated state. "Mitt Romney is more than
welcome to be a Utah Democrat, and if you look at the positions he
took in Massachusetts, he well qualifies," she said. "He would fit in
well."
However enticing the possibilities may seem at the moment, no one
except Romney knows what his future holds. One thing, however, is
certain. Romney will have a number of opportunities available to him
and the most difficult thing he does may be deciding which one to
pursue.
Source:
Romney says he might run for office in Mass. or Utah
Boston Globe (AP) 5Jul01 T2
By Associated Press
SLOC Boss May Seek Utah Office
Salt Lake Tribune 4Jul01 T2
By Linda Fantin: Salt Lake Tribune
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