Mitt Romney speaks at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss., on Jan. 28, 2015.(Photo: Rogelio V. Solis, AP)
WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney told supporters Friday that he's decided to skip a 2016 presidential race, putting an end to weeks of serious consideration about a third try for the White House.
The 2012 GOP presidential nominee informed his staff and then key supporters in separate conference calls.
"After putting considerable thought into making another run for president, I've decided it is best to give other leaders in the party the opportunity to become our next nominee," Romney said, according to remarks posted on Twitter by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.
For months, Romney repeatedly said he wasn't interested in running again. But he upended the 2016 GOP race when he told a small group of donors earlier this month about his interest.
Although he said Friday that he was "convinced" that he could win the Republican nomination again, Romney acknowledged "it would have been a difficult test and a hard fight."
Part of that challenge was underscored as several top donors flocked to Jeb Bush, who appeals to the same center-right, establishment wing of the Republican Party as Romney. Potential rivals such as Sens. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, who supported Romney in 2012, were openly dismissive about another Romney race and said a fresh face is needed next year.
Bush, who recently met with Romney in Utah, praised the former Massachusetts governor as a "patriot."
"Mitt Romney has been a leader in our party for many years. There are few people who have worked harder to elect Republicans across the country than he has," Bush said in a statement posted on Facebook. "Though I'm sure today's decision was not easy, I know that Mitt Romney will never stop advocating for renewing America's promise through upward mobility, encouraging free enterprise and strengthening our national defense."
In his remarks Friday, Romney referenced a new Fox News poll showing him with a double-digit lead over Mike Huckabee, Paul and Bush as a sign of his strength going into 2016.
Romney did not name a candidate he would endorse, but encouraged his supporters to "stay engaged in the critical process of selecting a Republican nominee." He also gave his supporters the blessing to sign on with other candidates and said he would not establish a political action committee, accept campaign contributions or hire a campaign team.
"I believe that one of our next generation of Republican leaders, one who may not be as well known as I am today, one who has not yet taken their message across the country, one who is just getting started, may well emerge as being better able to defeat the Democrat nominee. In fact, I expect and hope that to be the case," he said.
Sen. Marco Rubio, who was on Romney's short list of running mate choices in 2012, hailed Romney for passing the torch.
"Over the past two years, there hasn't been a day when I didn't think that Mitt Romney would have been a better president than Barack Obama," Rubio said. "I know what a difficult decision this must be given his love of our country. He certainly earned the right to consider running, so I deeply respect his decision to give the next generation a chance to lead."
In recent weeks, Romney had hinted at a possible presidential platform that centered on economic opportunity, foreign policy and fighting poverty and said those should be topics of focus for any candidate. His focus on poverty was widely criticized by Democrats, in light of his own wealth and much-derided comment in the 2012 campaign campaign that 47% of Americans are dependent on the government.
President Obama even mocked his former opponent, though not by name, as he told House Democrats that a "former presidential candidate on the other side ... suddenly is just deeply concerned about poverty."
At the White House, press secretary Josh Earnest said he hopes other Republicans will pick up on the themes of fighting poverty and helping the middle class. "Gov. Romney is a man of great faith and tremendous loyalty to his country," Earnest said.
Just this week, Romney gave the appearance that he was ready for another fight by taking aim at potential Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton. He slammed the former secretary of State as being clueless about how to create jobs and in her dealings with Russia.
Mo Elleithee, communications director for the Democratic National Committee, criticized Romney and the candidates who want to be the GOP's next standard-bearer.
"All his exit means is that there's one less voice joining the chorus of Republican presidential candidates fighting to rig the system for special interests at the expense of the middle class, and trying to bring failed GOP policies back to the White House," Elleithee said.
Romney's decision to pass on 2016 would likely benefit Bush, who already has some key former Romney allies in his corner, and Chris Christie, who is also popular with business leaders. The potential GOP field could also to include Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who made a splash with his remarks last weekend in Iowa, and Marco Rubio.
Bush, Christie, Walker and Lindsey Graham have all established committees that will raise money to underwrite their political activities as they consider presidential campaigns. They and other potential candidates are also staffing up ahead of 2016 campaigns.
Bush has made a splash by attracting key Romney allies. Charlie Spies, who ran the super PAC supporting Romney's candidacy in 2012, is now assisting the former Florida governor with his political action committees. Bush also hired David Kochel, who ran Romney's operations in Iowa in 2008 and 2012, to be a senior strategist for his Right to Rise PAC. Kochel is expected to play a senior role in a likely Bush presidential campaign.
Contributing: David Jackson.
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