Romney calls talk of him making another presidential bid 'silly'

The talk of the town on the Sunday morning talk shows was Rep. Eric Cantor’s (R-VA) loss to his Republican primary opponent and the fracturing of the GOP. Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney appeared on Meet the Press on Sunday where he was asked about that dynamic within the party, and talk by some that Romney should consider making another run for the White House. Romney said he was not interested in mounting a third presidential bid and called talk of drafting him to run “silly.”

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Romney said that the narrative that the party is split along establishment and tea party lines is undermined by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) winning his primary race over at least five competitive challengers.

“Is the tea party populism driving the Republican Party?” host David Gregory asked.

“It certainly didn’t drive what happened in South Carolina,” Romney replied.

“Would you be a candidate in 2016,” Gregory pressed. “If you were drafted, if the conditions were right, would you consider another run?”

“I’m not running for president,” Romney laughed. “I’ve said that so many times.”

Romney reminded Gregory that he recently held a conference of Republican officeholders where they discussed the GOP’s evolving messaging heading into 2016. The former presidential candidate noted that one of the primary reasons to hold that conference was to introduce prospective presidential candidates to his fundraising network. “Had I been running, I wouldn’t be doing that,” he said.

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“I’m convinced that the field of Republican candidates that I’m seeing is in a lot better position to do that than I am,” Romney said. “Talk of draft is kind of silly.”

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