Mitt Romney announces bid for Utah's Senate seat

Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney announced Friday he will run for the Utah Senate seat vacated by Sen. Orrin Hatch's retirement.

The 2012 GOP presidential nominee helped reorganize the 2002 Olympics Games in Salt Lake City, an accomplishment, Romney touted in an announcement video.

Romney also drew distinctions between Utah and Washington, D.C., in the video, saying he could help bridge the gap between the two.

"I have decided to run for United States Senate because I believe I can help bring Utah's values and Utah's lessons to Washington," Romney said. "Utah is a better model for Washington than Washington is for Utah."

A frequent critic of President Donald Trump, in August Romney called on Trump to apologize for his remarks about the violent protests in Charlottesville, Va., when police say a man ran his car through a group of protesters, killing one woman.

The video announcement did not refer to Trump but set Romney's tone on a one of the president's hot-button policy items: immigration.

"Utah welcomes legal immigrants from across the world," he said. "Washington sends immigrants a message of exclusion. And on Utah's Capitol Hill people treat one another with respect."

Hatch announced in January he will not seek re-election after serving more than 40 years in the Senate.

Rival candidate for the Senate seat, Democrat Jenny Wilson, said Utah deserves someone who belongs to the state, referencing's Romney's birth in Michigan, time as governor of Massachusetts and his ownership of homes in California and New Hampshire.

From Utah, for Utah. It's time for a homegrown leader who knows what everyday Utahns need.

Chip in if you agree that this Senate seat belongs to the people of our state, not an out-of-state member of the national establishment: https://t.co/CfHS0eJtIG pic.twitter.com/MNpR0jGLNG

- Jenny Wilson for UT (@JennyWilsonUT) February 16, 2018