Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee, says he is voting for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz97% because doing so is the best way to keep Donald Trump from winning the White House.
“This week, in the Utah nominating caucus, I will vote for Senator Ted Cruz,” Romney wrote in a Facebook post. “Today, there is a contest between Trumpism and Republicanism. Through the calculated statements of its leader, Trumpism has become associated with racism, misogyny, bigotry, xenophobia, vulgarity and, most recently, threats and violence. I am repulsed by each and every one of these.”
Romney, however, said that he’s less interested in Cruz being the nominee and more interested in seeing another Republican getting the nomination at an open convention.
“The only path that remains to nominate a Republican rather than Mr. Trump is to have an open convention. At this stage, the only way we can reach an open convention is for Senator Cruz to be successful in as many of the remaining nominating elections as possible.”
The other candidate running, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, is more establishment than Cruz. But Kasich cannot mathematically earn enough delegates to win the nomination before the convention. Secret Service Warns: ‘Watch What You Say On Social Media!’
“I like Governor John Kasich,” Romney said. “I have campaigned with him. He has a solid record as governor. I would have voted for him in Ohio. But a vote for Governor Kasich in future contests makes it extremely likely that Trumpism would prevail.”
“I will vote for Senator Cruz and I encourage others to do so as well, so that we can have an open convention and nominate a Republican.”
That Romney would publicly announce support Cruz — to hurt Trump — is something that would have been seen as unfathomable a short time ago. Both come from different wings of the party and have publicly criticized each other in the past.
