Utah Senator Mitt Romney Thread

[Jeff Lebowski]

John Curtis has officially filed his candidacy for Mitt's senate seat. That surprises me a bit because he was reluctant to do so. He just built a big nice house down the street from us and has indicated he is looking forward to a quieter life. But I am very happy to see this as I think he is far better than any of the other candidates that have filed so far.

From the NYT article about Matt Gaetz withdrawing:

Mr. Gaetz told people close to him that he concluded after conversations with senators and their staffs that there were at least four Republican senators who were implacably opposed to his nomination: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and John Curtis of Utah, who will be seated in January.

He is off to a great start!

He posted something the other day about the importance of compromise in politics and the Utah MAGA crowd was furious. I am sure they will be apoplectic over this news about Gaetz.

One thing about Curtis is he was a reluctant candidate and could very well be one-termer. So he can afford to have scruples.

[frank ryan]

From the NYT article about Matt Gaetz withdrawing:



He is off to a great start!

He posted something the other day about the importance of compromise in politics and the Utah MAGA crowd was furious. I am sure they will be apoplectic over this news about Gaetz.

One thing about Curtis is he was a reluctant candidate and could very well be one-termer. So he can afford to have scruples.

That is encouraging

[USUC]

Curtis has leeway. His term will surpass Trump by 2 years. Any retribution Trump wants to employ against him will lose steam. In 2030 Trump will be out to pasture or dead.

[BigFatMeanie]

The Phil Lyman/MAGA crowd in Utah is really going after Curtis on Twitter and other social media. Vilifying him and calling him corrupt, Gadianton Robber, etc.

[Bo Diddley]

The Phil Lyman/MAGA crowd in Utah is really going after Curtis on Twitter and other social media. Vilifying him and calling him corrupt, Gadianton Robber, etc.

He's no Captain Moroni. Amirite.

[The_Tick]

The Phil Lyman/MAGA crowd in Utah is really going after Curtis on Twitter and other social media. Vilifying him and calling him corrupt, Gadianton Robber, etc.

Which means I like him already.

[Harry Tic]

Curtis has leeway. His term will surpass Trump by 2 years. Any retribution Trump wants to employ against him will lose steam. In 2030 Trump will be out to pasture or dead.

I hope this is right. But I'm not convinced of Curtis' ability to do the math and push back on the MAGA crowd. I recall that when he accepted the results of the 2020 election, Trumpers targeted his office to make their displeasure known. Curtis was clearly shaken by it.

Every Republican politician is keenly aware of, and fears, what the MAGA base might do if they feel they have been crossed. Trump's followers are driven by a kind of evangelical fervor (literal and figurative) that has nothing at all to do with policy. And Curtis is a sort of milquetoast policy guy, who might be an effective senator in an alternative timeline. We'll see what happens.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I hope this is right. But I'm not convinced of Curtis' ability to do the math and push back on the MAGA crowd. I recall that when he accepted the results of the 2020 election, Trumpers targeted his office to make their displeasure known. Curtis was clearly shaken by it.

Every Republican politician is keenly aware of, and fears, what the MAGA base might do if they feel they have been crossed. Trump's followers are driven by a kind of evangelical fervor (literal and figurative) that has nothing at all to do with policy. And Curtis is a sort of milquetoast policy guy, who might be an effective senator in an alternative timeline. We'll see what happens.

It's all relative.

[BigFatMeanie]

Which means I like him already.

Same.

The MAGA playbook right now, as represented in Utah by folks like Phil Lyman and Eric Moutsos and their followers, is:

Step 1: Accuse anyone who doesn't agree with your take, no matter the topic, of corruption. If the person you disagree with is LDS, then throw in some references to Gadianton robbers or Amalekites or things like that. If the person you disagree with lives an obviously moral life with zero evidence of corruption continue the corruption line of attack while proceeding to Step 2.

Step 2: Attack anyone you disagree with as soft. Say, "You're a beta, not an alpha", "You're a spineless wimpy cuck", "we need a fighter who won't give in to the woke crowd".

Repeat ad infinitum.

[The_Tick]

Same.

The MAGA playbook right now, as represented in Utah by folks like Phil Lyman and Eric Moutsos and their followers, is:

Step 1: Accuse anyone who doesn't agree with your take, no matter the topic, of corruption. If the person you disagree with is LDS, then throw in some references to Gadianton robbers or Amalekites or things like that. If the person you disagree with lives an obviously moral life with zero evidence of corruption continue the corruption line of attack while proceeding to Step 2.

Step 2: Attack anyone you disagree with as soft. Say, "You're a beta, not an alpha", "You're a spineless wimpy cuck", "we need a fighter who won't give in to the woke crowd".

Repeat ad infinitum.

I had to block Phil Lyman or any mention of him on Twitter. Those folks were relentless. He'd have been a cuck.