Republicans remember Romney fondly. If he keeps running, he risks turning into another Newt Gingrich, a Republican who doesn’t know when to exit the stage.

Insiders tell me that if Jeb Bush were not to get in the race, Romney would be the front-runner by default. There are two problems with that thinking. First, though Bush was a fine governor of Florida, he hasn’t won a campaign since he was re-elected in 2002. Like Romney, who won an election in 2002, Bush represents the past. Second, party leaders and big donors may want to be kingmakers — hence their rush to declare a front-runner — but that’s what voters are supposed to do.

I confess that the 2012 primary was for me slow torture. It didn’t help that once insiders declared Romney the front-runner, there followed an ugly slog to elevate the Republican who could beat him. I am in no hurry to repeat the freak show — especially when there are so many interesting Republicans with gravitas. Think New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Rob Portman and Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky may look in the mirror and hear “Hail to the Chief.”