Feb. 20 (UPI) — President Donald Trump, who once called former 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney one of the “dumbest and worst candidates in the history of Republican politics,” endorsed him for senator of Utah on Monday.
“@MittRomney has announced he is running for the Senate from the wonderful State of Utah. He will make a great Senator and worthy successor to @OrrinHatch, and has my full support and endorsement!” Trump wrote.
Romney, who has been a consistent critic of the president since the middle of the 2016 presidential campaign when he gave a speech about Trump in which he called him a “phony” and a “fraud,” accepted the endorsement.
“Thank you Mr. President for the support. I hope that over the course of the campaign I also earn the support and endorsement of the people of Utah,” he tweeted.
Although Trump and Romney were political enemies in 2016, their feud appeared to have subsided after the election. Trump publicly considered Romney for Secretary of State — but instead gave the position to former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson.
Romney announced his Senate candidacy on Friday. Current Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch announced his retirement in January.
