Mitt Romney (R-Utah) projected that Vice President-elect Vance will be the Republican Party’s 2028 presidential contender.
Romney spoke on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday for his congressional farewell interview, when anchor Jake Tapper questioned him about a post-Trump Republican Party.
“Oh, MAGA is the Republican Party, and Donald Trump is the Republican Party today,” Romney said.
“And if you were to ask me who the nominee will be in 2028, it’ll be JD Vance,” he said.
The Utah Senator said that Vance, who Trump nominated as his running partner over the summer, is likely to be the next GOP leader because he is intelligent, well-spoken, and supports the MAGA movement.
Romney has been a critic of both Trump and Vance, which he indicated Sunday he did not want to revisit. He said that since his negative statements about Vance, they have collaborated in the Senate.
He said in the interview that both parties would likely have to rethink their message to voters, especially those who shifted from the left to the right in the most recent election.
Earlier this month, Romney gave his farewell address on the Senate floor. He urged politicians on both sides of the aisle to work together in this time of heightened polarization.
