Mitt Romney Is Back (sort Of)

Former Sen. Mitt Romney has made his first foray back into national politics since leaving the Senate, hosting a fundraiser on Wednesday for his former colleague Sen. Susan Collins.

It was the first time the former Utah senator directly reengaged with Washington politics since leaving office at the beginning of 2025. And it shows how seriously the 2012 Republican presidential nominee and sharp critic of President Donald Trump — who has prized privacy in his retirement — wishes to preserve a group of GOP senators in his mold in Washington.

The Salt Lake City fundraiser with Collins was co-hosted by Romney, his son Josh, former Romney chief of staff Matt Waldrip, and Zions Bank president Scott Anderson, according to an invitation obtained by POLITICO. Two individuals present at the fundraiser described it as a brief, cordial reception.

During remarks at the fundraiser, Romney — the former Massachusetts governor — said he knew how hard it is to be a New England Republican, and he praised Collins as a dying breed, according to one attendee granted anonymity to describe the private event.

Spokespeople for Collins and Romney did not respond to requests for comment.

Romney and Collins are both old-line establishment Republicans with an independent streak, willing to buck party and Trump on occasion. They were members of a bipartisan group of senators during the Biden administration that worked on an infrastructure bill, a COVID-19 relief package and gun safety legislation, among other things. Both were among the seven Republican senators who voted to impeach the president after the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot.

“It was obvious during their time together in Washington that they were some of the few doers in the Senate, and it makes sense to me that he would be willing to be there for her during her reelection,” said the second person present at the fundraiser, granted anonymity to speak openly.

But that group of “doer” senators is fading away: Among that so-called Group of 10, half have retired or lost reelection: Romney, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana), Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona) and Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.V.). The only Republicans remaining are Collins, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) — the latter of whom is now fighting for his political survival against a Trump-backed primary opponent.

Collins faces a tough general election against presumptive Democratic nominee Graham Platner, who has an inside track to the party nomination after former Maine Gov. Janet Mills dropped out last month. The campaign is shaping up to be one of the most expensive of the cycle, and Collins retains a cash-on-hand advantage over Platner, according to the most recent filings.

Collins, during brief remarks at the Salt Lake City fundraiser, exuded optimism, but noted she will need help. She pledged to outwork Platner, but said she will need the funds to beat him, according to the first attendee.