Realizing Democrats will almost certainly look to try again, President Donald Trump is preparing to fight back against those who supported his impeachment.
And that list starts with Utah Senator Mitt Romney, the only Republican to vote to convict him.
But while Trump’s options are limited, he realizes it’s a fight he can still win.
The fact is there isn’t much Trump can do at the moment. Romney was just elected in 2018 and does not face voters again until 2024, which is a lifetime in politics.
There’s also the fact that while Trump may be more popular than Romney in Utah at the moment, Utah has never been staunch Trump territory and Republicans there won’t be as willing to punish one of his critics.
Utah has a large Mormon population, who are generally very supportive of immigration and refugees, considering the state was founded by members of the Church of Latter Day Saints fleeing oppression in other states. It also places a great deal of emphasis on international mission work.
Even though it is one of America’s most Republican states, Trump got only 45 percent of the vote there in 2016. Other than 1992 and 1993 when Ross Perot split the Republican vote, every GOP nominee for President since 1972 has gotten at least 60% of the vote in Utah, until Trump.
Romney will also be 76 in 2024 and many expected him to only serve a single term even before he was elected. It was generally considered he ran for Senate so he could end his political career on a high note.
That doesn’t mean Trump still can’t make Romney feel political pain, or that it can’t be used to keep wavering Republicans in line should Democrats try again.
For one, Trump can lean on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to strip Romney of favorable committee assignments.
Romney is currently on the Foreign Relations, Health, Education, Labor & Pensions, Homeland Security & Government Affairs, Small Business & Entrepreneurship. None of those are sought-after assignments and Romney is largely there only because nearly all other Senate Republicans are senior to him.
But with four years left on his term and other Republican senators facing retirement or defeat in 2020 and 2022, Romney could quickly move up the ranks and end his term on a powerful committee.
Trump could block that, not just punishing Romney but sending a message to other Republicans there will be consequences if they vote to impeach him again.
AAN Staff
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