WASHINGTON, March 8, 2016 (UPI) — Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee for president four years ago, recorded a phone message supporting Sen. Marco Rubio ahead of Tuesday’s primary vote in four states.
The call stops short of endorsing Rubio and Romney has not officially endorsed any candidate in the race. He launched a broadside attack against the front-runner, Donald Trump, last week, saying he is unfit to hold office. Since then, Romney has appeared on numerous cable news programs to reinforce his message to GOP voters: anyone but Trump.
In his speech last week, Romney implored GOP voters to choose the candidate best positioned to win their home state in an effort to deny Trump the delegates he needs to sew up the nomination later this summer.
A Romney spokesman said the robocall is a continuation of that effort.
A Romney spokeswoman said in an email that the former Massachusetts governor “has offered and is glad to help Sen. Marco Rubio, [Texas] Sen. Ted Cruz and [Ohio] Gov. John Kasich in any way he can. He’s been clear that he believes that Donald Trump is not the best person to represent the Republican party and will do what he can to support a strong nominee who holds conservative values to win back the White House.”
The call is going out to likely voters in the four states holding GOP contests Tuesday: Michigan, Idaho, Hawaii and Mississippi.
