Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) praised Vice President Kamala Harris’ debate performance Wednesday, arguing that the Democratic nominee demonstrated that she is “intelligent” and “capable” in her first showdown against former President Donald Trump.
Romney, a longtime Trump critic who has refused to vote for the GOP nominee for president going back to 2016, told reporters on Capitol Hill that the ABC News debate proved Harris can “answer questions from the media.”
“Those were answered well. She spoke well and clearly and I think she prosecuted her case well,” the Utah Republican said.
Romney, who lost the 2012 White House race to former President Barack Obama, argued that Harris made the most of her opportunity to distinguish herself from Trump before some 67 million viewers.
“Most people didn’t know her terribly well other than a few clips that were not flattering, that you might see on the internet,” Romney said.
“And people saw, actually, she’s an intelligent, capable person who has a point of view on issues,” he added. “And she actually demonstrated that time and again.”
Meanwhile, the former Massachusetts governor argued that Trump’s performance was just that — “a performance.”
“This was classic President Trump,” Romney said.
“President Trump prosecuted his case as he wanted to,” he added.
Harris, 59, invoked Romey’s name at one point in the debate, touting having the support of “200 Republicans who have formerly worked with President [George W] Bush, Mitt Romney, and John McCain.”
Romney himself hasn’t endorsed Harris but declared earlier this year that he would “absolutely not” be voting for Trump.
“With President Trump, it’s a matter of personal character,” the 77-year-old senator said of the GOP nominee in June. “I draw a line and say when someone has been actually found to have been sexually assaulting, that’s something I just won’t cross over in the person I would want to have as president of the United States.”
Last month, Harris pledged to appoint a Republican to her Cabinet, if elected, in her only sitdown interview since replacing President Biden on the Democratic ticket.
Some anti-Trump Republicans “hope” it will be Romney.
“We hope that [Harris] invites [Romney] to serve in some capacity if she wins,” Haley Voters for Harris, a political action committee backing Harris in the election, wrote on X.
“Whether he endorses her or not, he is a patriot who believes in a strong America and answers the call of service,” the group of former Nikki Haley supporters added.
