Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes is preparing to challenge Sen. Mitt Romney in a Republican primary.
Politico reported on Wednesday that Reyes is laying the groundwork for the primary challenge.
Romney is up for re-election in 2024, rather than 2022. An early announcement on the part of Reyes would make him a candidate in an election more than two years away, an unconventional campaign tactic.
Reyes is likely to make an announcement in May.
“Sean is very seriously considering running, regardless if Mitt runs or not,” said a source familiar with Reyes’ plans.
“He’s confident that regardless of what Sen. Romney wants to do, he’s going to pursue this.”
Romney would be 77 years old in 2024, with some Utah Republicans speculating that the failed presidential candidate will retire instead of running for re-election.
A privilege to speak on The Invasion panel today at @CPAC on southern border crisis with former Acting Director of the U.S. Immigration & Customs Tom Homan, https://t.co/d8Ow3IMT0h senior writer @Julio_Rosas11 and our fearless moderator @mercedesschlapp pic.twitter.com/lvHO5fG9h1
— Sean Reyes (@SeanReyesUT) February 24, 2022
Reyes has won three statewide elections in Utah, a resume that would make him a serious contender in any contest in the state. He’s been Utah’s Attorney General since 2013.
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Reyes has litigated against Biden’s open border policies.
Romney voted against removing President Joe Biden’s federal mask mandate on public transportation and passenger planes on Tuesday.
Not only did every single other Senate Republican vote to remove the dated and ineffective mask mandate, but eight Democrats joined the GOP in a bipartisan vote to unmask Americans.
Kudos to the 49 Senate Republicans (all but Romney) and 8 Democrats (highlighted) who voted for @RandPaul‘s bill to ban Biden’s airplane/public transit mask mandate!
Bipartisanship!!!
Schedule the House vote @SpeakerPelosi!https://t.co/UVvmw4JDeH pic.twitter.com/SMGzaw5Dha
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) March 15, 2022
Polling in 2020 pinned Mitt Romney with a poor 39% approval rating, with nearly double the amount of Democrats approving of his job performance over Republicans.
Romney voted to impeach former President Donald Trump two times, becoming the first Senator to vote to impeach a president of his own party in 2020.
Romney would go on to vote to impeach Trump even after he left office in 2021. Both impeachment attempts failed.
It’s likely Trump would provide strong support for any Republican candidate who moves to primary Romney in 2024, with the history of antagonism and insult exchanges between the two men well-documented.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
