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| Mitt Romney launches Utah Senate campaign with dig at Trump | Mitt Romney launches Utah Senate campaign with dig at Trump |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has announced he is running for a US Senate seat in Utah, while taking a dig at President Donald Trump. | Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has announced he is running for a US Senate seat in Utah, while taking a dig at President Donald Trump. |
| In a Facebook campaign video, he lamented that Washington was sending "a message of exclusion" to immigrants. | In a Facebook campaign video, he lamented that Washington was sending "a message of exclusion" to immigrants. |
| A vocal critic of Mr Trump, Mr Romney is seen as a shoo-in for outgoing Republican Senator Orrin Hatch's seat. | A vocal critic of Mr Trump, Mr Romney is seen as a shoo-in for outgoing Republican Senator Orrin Hatch's seat. |
| The ex-private equity manager has kept a low profile since losing his 2012 race to oust President Barack Obama. | The ex-private equity manager has kept a low profile since losing his 2012 race to oust President Barack Obama. |
| Touting his management of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, Mr Romney said his adopted home state was a model for Washington DC. | |
| "Utah welcomes legal immigrants from around the world," he said in a Facebook campaign video. | |
| "Washington sends them a message of exclusion." | "Washington sends them a message of exclusion." |
| Since his failed White House campaign, Mr Romney has served as a chairman of his son's investment firm and on the board of directors of Marriott International. | |
| But he has assiduously maintained his links to the Republican party. | |
| In 2016 he positioned himself as the voice of mainstream conservatism with stinging attacks on Mr Trump. | |
| "His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University," said Mr Romney. | |
| Mr Trump hit back, calling Mr Romney a "failed candidate" who "choked like a dog" in the 2012 race. | |
| However, once Mr Trump captured the White House, Mr Romney dined with him in November 2016 at a Manhattan restaurant while he was in the running to be the president-elect's secretary of state. | |
| Mr Romney did not get the job. | |
| Perhaps mindful of a Romney resurgence, the president recently urged Mr Hatch, seen as a Trump loyalist, to run again for another six-year term. | |
| In December, Mr Trump travelled to Utah where he called Mr Hatch "a true fighter" and said he hoped he would continue to serve "in the Senate for a very long time to come". | |
| But the veteran senator announced last month he would step down at the end of the year. | |
| "Every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves," said Mr Hatch. | |
| The longest-serving Senate Republican with seven terms under his belt, he was first elected in 1976. |