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U.S. NEWS Saturday 17 February 2018
Romney makes it official: He's running for Utah Senate seat

By MICHELLE L. PRICE "on Utah's Capitol Hill, peo-
BILL BARROW ple treat one another with
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — For- respect."
mer presidential hopeful Still, Romney, a former Mas-
Mitt Romney is running for sachusetts governor and
a Utah Senate seat, offi- wealthy business execu-
cially launching his political tive, would come to Capi-
comeback attempt Friday tol Hill with a higher profile
by praising his adopted than a typical freshman
home state as a model for senator. That reality was
an acrimonious national made clear by immediate
government in Washing- reactions to his announce-
ton.Having been one of the ment from across the politi-
Republican Party's fiercest cal spectrum.
internal critics of President House Speaker Paul Ryan,
Donald Trump, Romney whom Romney tapped as
didn't mention the adminis- his vice presidential running
tration or Trump himself in a mate in 2012, immediate-
campaign announcement ly hailed his old partner’s
posted online. The closest “unparalleled experience,
allusion to Trump was Rom- conservative leadership
ney noting that Utah "wel- and lifetime of service.”
comes legal immigrants About 60 percent of Utah’s
from around the world," Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney tours Gibson's Green Acres Dairy Friday, residents are members of
while "Washington sends Feb. 16, 2018, in Ogden, Utah. The 2012 Republican presidential candidate plans to bid for the seat The Church of Jesus Christ
immigrants a message of being vacated by retiring seven-term Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch. of Latter-day Saints.q
exclusion." (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Romney, 70, will be the said he intends to focus
heavy favorite for the Sen- his campaign on Utah,
ate seat being opened by where he moved with his
Sen. Orrin Hatch's retire- wife, Ann, after losing the
ment. Hatch was among 2012 presidential election
the first Republicans to to incumbent Democrat
pitch Romney as his poten- Barack Obama.
tial successor. "Utah has a lot to teach
Leading up to Romney's the politicians in Washing-
widely anticipated an- ton," Romney said in his an-
nouncement, confidantes nouncement, noting that

House GOP leaders struggle

to new push immigration bill

By ALAN FRAM right House Freedom Cau-
Associated Press cus, which helped force
WASHINGTON (AP) — As former Speaker John Boeh-
badly as things have gone ner from his job in 2015. "If
for immigration legislation he gets it wrong, it will have
in the Senate, it's not look- consequences for him but
ing any easier in the more it will also have conse-
conservative House. quences for the rest of the
Republican leaders there Republican Party."
are scrambling to find Ryan aides did not respond
enough GOP votes to pass to a request for comment
a measure that's even more on Meadows' remark. But
restrictive than a proposal underscoring party rifts,
by President Donald Trump some Republicans defend-
that flopped spectacularly ed the speaker and his
in the Senate on Thursday. work on the issue.
Compounding those divi- "Any time you allow one
sions are pressures from member or a small group
some of the House's most of members to dictate
conservative members, overall policy for the coun-
who are casting the effort try, it is an unfair scenario,"
as a pivotal test for Speaker Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif.,
Paul Ryan, R-Wis. who's opposing the con-
"It is a, the, defining mo- servative legislation, said
ment for this speaker," said Friday. "I just don't think our
Rep. Mark Meadows, R- speaker's going to give into
N.C. who leads the hard- any type of threats."q