Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, was loudly booed at the Utah Republican party convention – jeered as a “traitor” and a “communist” as he tried to speak.
“Aren’t you embarrassed?” the former 2012 GOP presidential candidate asked the raucous crowd of 2,100 delegates meeting at a convention center in West Valley City, Utah, on Saturday, the Salt Lake City Tribune reported.
Romney was the sole Republican to vote twice to impeach former President Donald Trump – for seeking political dirt on opponents from Ukraine and for inciting the deadly attack at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
“You can boo all you like,” Romney told a restive crowd.
“I’m a man who says what he means, and you know I was not a fan of our last president’s character issues,” he said as delegates tried to shout him down with accusations that he was was a “traitor” and “communist.”
Romney defended himself from the jeers by listing his conservative credentials.
"Oh yeah, you can boo all you like, but I've been a Republican all my life,” he said, “My dad was a governor of Michigan, my dad worked for Republican candidates that he believed in. I worked for Republicans across the country and if you don't recall, I was the Republican nominee for President in 2012," Romney said.
“Yeah, I understand I have a few folks who don't like me terribly much and I -- 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," Romney said— getting both boos and cheers, CNN reported.
A resolution to censure Romney failed 711-798, Utah Republican Party spokeswoman Lynda Cox told the news outlet.
The resolution alleged Romney "consistently publicly criticized President Trump" and that his "comments not only hurt President Trump's reelection but hurt other Republicans on the ballot."
At the convention, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, drew a standing ovation as he took the podium and, hand on his heart, cheered delegates “for taking action! Thank you!,” he said, calling their presence “an act of faith in the future,” the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
In a hardline speech, he blasted Democrats and invoked the U.S. Constitution and Founding Fathers, whom he praised for constraining government power on behalf of the people. He underscored their guarantees of unfettered gun ownership and limited intrusion in the lives of private citizens.
Quoting George Washington, Lee said U.S. exceptionalism rested in faith in its citizenry, not the government. “It means freedom,” he said.
“Their whole agenda is wrapped up around one idea,” Lee said of Democrats — “unquestionable trust in government.”
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