WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – Senator Mitt Romney walked out to a crowd of loud and angry boos when he attempted to give a speech at the Utah Republican Party state convention.
“So what did you think of President Biden’s first 100 days?” he tried to ask as the boos from GOP delegates grew louder. He pointed to a few people in the crowd who stood to applaud him. “Thank you.”
“Now you know me as a person who that says what he thinks and I don’t hide the fact that I wasn’t a fan of our last president’s character issues,” Sen. Romney said, referencing his votes to impeach President Trump.
“You’re terrible!” a man shouted.
As the boos continued, Sen. Romney said to someone in the audience: “Aren’t you embarrassed?”
Utah Republican Party Chair Derek Brown stood and took the podium as Sen. Romney stepped away.
“Please,” he said. “Show respect.”
“Thanks, Derek,” Sen. Romney replied as applause began in the crowd at the Maverik Center. Off to the side, a delegate continued to shout at Utah’s junior senator. A crowd of people rushed up to him and demanded he sit down.
“Yeah, I understand I have a few folks that don’t like me terribly much and I’m sorry about that, but I express my mind as I believe is right and I follow my conscience as I believe is right,” Sen. Romney continued as applause and boos were over him. “I’m not a fan of the current president’s policies.”
Sen. Romney continued his speech as hecklers continued to interrupt.
He wrapped up his speech calling for unity, then left the stage to a mixture of applause and boos. Shortly after his speech, FOX 13 was told Sen. Romney quickly left the building.
Related Story: Susan Collins says she was ‘appalled’ by GOP delegates booing Romney
Later in the Utah GOP state convention, delegates narrowly rejected a resolution to censure Sen. Romney for his impeachment votes after a heated debate on a 798-711 vote.
In contrast, Senator Mike Lee received treatment more fitting of a rock star as the Maverik Center erupted in loud cheers and a standing ovation. Other members of Utah’s congressional delegation also received applause and ovations.
Sen. Romney wasn’t the only Republican to face a chorus of jeers at the convention. Governor Spencer Cox received a mix of boos and cheers when he took the stage.
“Some of you that hate me haven’t been paying attention,” the governor told some of his detractors.
The governor’s critics were seemingly angry about COVID-19 health restrictions, with hundreds in the crowd appearing unmasked despite public health orders that dictate gatherings over 50 people require face masks. Gov. Cox threw them a branch when he announced that given the state’s trajectory with vaccinations, public health orders will likely terminate next week under the COVID-19 “endgame” law.
But he stuck to his guns and told delegates that masks will remain in K-12 schools (which he has faced increasing pressure from conservative groups to lift).
“At the end of the school year there will be no more masks and there will be no more masks next fall,” Gov. Cox said to cheers.
Saturday’s Utah GOP convention had a little over 2,000 delegates show up for the in-person event – about half of what it has been in previous years. Brown, who is stepping down after his first term, warned delegates of “storm clouds” on the horizon as surrounding states turned “blue” with Democratic votes.
Newly-elected Utah Republican Party Chair Carson Jorgensen, who won in an upset vote, said it was a concern of his as well.
“We want to keep the state red. We want to make there’s a place in this party for everyone and that new people moving into this state feel welcome in our party,” he told reporters afterward.
The Utah GOP delegates elected new leadership that bucked candidates endorsed by many of Utah’s political leaders.
“They felt like they being told who to vote for rather than being provided with information and being able to make that decision on their own,” said Olivia Dawn Horlacher, the party’s new secretary.
Asked if the delegates decision could hurt fundraising events like https://norgesbriketten.no/dugnad-tjene-penger-klassetur/, Horlacher said they could fundraise “through the grassroots.” Jorgensen said he also plans to reach out to youth through social media.
Asked about Sen. Romney’s treatment, Jorgensen said delegates were a “small sample” of overall Republicans.
“At the end of the day, as we strengthen the party, we want to make sure there is a place for everyone in this party,” he said. “We will continue to work for that.”
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Just another flip-flopping disgruntled RINO that begged PRESIDENT TRUMP for a “position” was was “Passed over”. (President trump could see right through him like a pane of glass.
He needs to get voted OUT and a America-loving PATRIOT needs to take his place.
I am shocked there were folk there, APPLAUDING this traitor…
“I understand I have a few folks that don’t like me terribly much”
Mitt Romney there are a LOT of folks who don’t like you at all.
Mitt Romney is are but a RINO, “Republican In Name Only”
DIRT, “Democrat In Republican Trousers”
A Self-righteous, Self-serving, Corrupt Democrat Party’s professional politician.
He’s in the wrong place. He’s not a Republican. I’m sure the Democrats have sent him a welcome to their party package.
IMO he got that, the day he first entered congress. CAUSE I have yet to see ANYTHING about him, that has ever been conservative.
Mittens needs to deal with his own “character issues” before he complains about the “president’s character issues.” I am willing to bet, that when the dust settles, old mittens and his son, just like biden and his son, are going to be dirty, a good reason to hate Trump for trying to get to the bottom of it all and expose them. Mittens has accomplished nothing but cause trouble, he is a carpet bagging parasite that rode his faith and his money into office. I did not vote for Trump because I thought he was a nice guy, although, he is a much nicer person than the leftist lap dog media choose to portray him, I voted for him as I was sure he was the man to get the job done. My justification is in the overwhelming proof of Donald Trumps ability to preform despite 24/7/365 attacks from the leftist media and the communist/democrat party, Everything accomplished by Trump, and there is a long list, was accomplished in spite of constant attacks by the communist/left/democrats, and mittens. If we want to discuss character, mittens can’t even carry water for Trump
There were things about Trump’s character that I wasn’t very fond off, but his policies were right on the money. And he didn’t crumple up like a wet piece of paper like the Bushes did when the dummycrats put any pressure on them. Trump would hold his ground a lot better and we haven’t seen this kind of president since Reagan. Bums like Romney, Cheney, and Collins are a penny a dozen and not worth the space they take up in congress.
I’d rather that someone be a tactless butthead, BUT HONORED THIS NATION, than someone be polite, while stabbing this nation in the back.
I agree, but, the more I dig, the more I learn, the vast majority of Donald Trump’s faults are manufactured by those who despise the very fact he has exposed them for what they are, like the cockroaches they resemble, they do not like the light. To expose the failures and policies of administrations and parties before, be it left or right, they all hate the truth brought to the surface, they hate the corruption exposed and most of all, they hate the very fact that the man they all claimed could not do the job, was too stupid to do the job, has done a better job than all.
MAYBE that is why so many in the GOP, joined IN the leftists attacking him. THEY COULDN’T stand he put all their warts on display…
I’m Sure that Rino , ” NEVER TRUMPER, Would find a warm Welcome Awaiting him Should Mitt Romney get enough courage up to openly declare himself, but like all RINOS, He would rather remain working against the party from inside…
Mittens is only a Republican in order to win an election in a Republican state. The fact that he could get elected in a Left wing stronghold like MA only tells me how far left he really is – he just wasn’t far enough Left to beat obama in 2012.
And why is Mike Lee so loved – he happens to be owned by the oligarchs of Silicone Valley…wake up Utah.
“Utah Republican Party Chair Derek Brown stood and took the podium as Sen. Romney stepped away”. Derek Brown, you are a Republican In Name Only. Mitt is a traitor and he is a communist. I will not show respect to the Joseph Stalins and Adolf Hitlers of the world, Derek Brown!!!!!!!!!
Why would the gop even have/allow this RINO to speak at the convention? This is why I stopped my contributions years ago, the gop supports RINO’s, I don’t.
I think it’s pretty obvious in spite of the “upset vote”, that the Utah Republicans elected the wrong party chairperson. The Republicans are good at offering no options votes. They pretend that the American people have made a choice when no matter which candidate they voted for, they got the same agenda. That is why America needs conservatives to get off their duffs and do the work of creating a new party with different rules and a different structure that excludes these types of people.
Exactly! Unless I know for sure they have Trump’s endorsement, they will never get a dime from me. I do not want even one penny of my money to go the the likes of this socialist pig.
BECAUSE the GOP is itself, filled with TOO MANY TRAITORS who are just like Mitt… That’s why they let him speak.
Very true,
Bottom line is he deserved to be Booed. But I would allow him to speak, because I prefer to know what the other side is thinking. When he completes I would have Booed him again! Good Bye Mitt !!!!
And YOU should be able to tell, Mitt, that your constituents are no fans of YOU (a sentiment echoed by MOST Republicans – nationwide)!
Based on the # of folk cheering for him, i wouldn’t say all were no-fans..
‘ Why, my fellow Americans, I’m just astonished—completely flabbergasted—that you would respond in this way. Do I deserve this just because I have been a total two-faced traitor? Really now??’
My answer would be “HELL YES you do!. IN fact, you deserve MORE than you got”.
Utah Senator, Mitt Romney, is an embarrassment to the Republican party… But Susan Collins liked him…
Romney has revealed himself, before the 2016 election, to be as terrified, possibly much more so, of President Trump as any of the leftist depraved traitors and criminals in office. His speech and his actions over the last five years give the impression he has much, much more heinous things to hide than even many of the Democrats.
Oh, that just old Mitt Romney , cut him some slake, he’s just having a Bad Hair Day, but anyways, old Mitt couldn’t be all bad if Susan Collins liked him….
Me thinks this is an example of why we need sarcasm font…
OR smiley faces..
You can make your own… 🙂
DEREK BROWN, HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR DEMOCRACY!! Most of us know what RINO Romney is, and we support DJT!! Get on board or GET OUT!! NO MORE RINOs!!! Give us someone who believes in the constitution he has pledged to uphold!! As far as the Guv, you capitulated to the the Left’s MAGA icon, THE MASK! KIDS DON’T GET COVID, Moron. And when they do, it is not serious, and this helps us reach herd immunity, if there is such a thing. Someone has to be Republican in the crowd (grown up) if this job is too tough, don’t bother running. You aren’t there to shush us.
In 2012 he was the lessor of two evils. The voters chose to go with the Devil they knew.
Yes oldsarge, you are right. I for one grew up in a time and in a nation where it was not just unthankful, unpatriotic, unAmerican to not exercise our bloodbought right to vote, but almost blasphemous. And I still feel that way, hence I have always voted. And when it came down to McCain vs Obama, then Romney vs Obama, I chose the disgusting McCain and the disgusting Romney, for even though in my heart, my mind, my spirit I was warned against Obama, at least I knew something of the failures called McCain and Romney. And little did the masses all know back in those days what a Manchurian Candidate Obama truly would turn out to be.
MANY of us think the same way. OUR right to vote was brought in blood, sweat and tears.. SO not using it, is seen as doing a massive disservice to all who came before and gave their life..
BUT THESE DAYS, ‘having to select the lesser of two evils’,is leaving a FOUL mouth in too many folks, adding to that, seeing JUST HOW RANCID the voting is, what with all the fraud and abuse, some of us are wondering “WHY” these days…
COMMENTIf any RINO deserves to be run out of town it’s a his back stabbers with No concerns for any one but himself
WHICH is every damn scum-sucking one o them.. NOT ONE RINO needs to be allowed to stay. PERIOD!