Outgoing Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, shared his thoughts on the future of the GOP, predicting Vice President-elect JD Vance will likely be the party's 2028 presidential nominee. He called Vance "smart" and "well-spoken."
Vance served as President-elect Donald Trump’s running mate in the 2024 election. Together, they defeated the Democratic ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Speaking on CNN’s "State of the Union," Romney acknowledged the GOP’s shift toward working- and middle-class voters. He credited Trump for leading that change.
Romney pointed to movements like defunding the police and biological males in female sports as reasons for middle-class voters abandoning the Democratic Party. He said, "I don’t know how they recover. They’ve lost their base."
He noted the departure of union workers from the Democratic Party, many of whom now back the GOP. "The Democratic Party is seen not as rich people, but as college professors and woke scolds," Romney said.
During the interview, CNN's Jake Tapper asked if Romney feared Trump would target him or his family for political retribution. Romney dismissed the concern, saying he believes Trump will "focus on the future."
Romney, who has served as a senator since 2019, chose not to run for re-election. He was the GOP's 2012 presidential nominee, losing to then-President Barack Obama.
When asked how he wants to be remembered, Romney said he doesn’t expect history to remember him. "What I want is my family to remember me," he stated.