Would @MittRomney run for president, under any circumstances? Watch what he told @MLauer: https://t.co/TadLbHXWsR
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 4, 2016
Mitt Romney insisted Friday that he was not attacking GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump with an eye on seizing the reins at a contested convention in Cleveland.
{mosads}”I’m not running for president, and I won’t run for president,” Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, said on the “Today” show. “The people who can save this party are Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio or John Kasich.”
The day after ripping into Trump as a fraud who would be dangerous for America, the former Massachusetts governor defended seeking his endorsement during the last Republican primary.
“I was seeking his endorsement, now he’s seeking mine: that’s very different. A lot of people endorsed me I wouldn’t endorse for president.”
Romney said there are “about 65 percent of Republicans who would like someone else” to be the party’s leader, but Trump currently has the biggest share of both supporters and delegates following Super Tuesday. He predicted things could shift after the next-biggest primary voting day.
“We’re going to see on March 15 a narrowing of the field, and at that point I wouldn’t be surprised if I endorsed one of those guys,” he said.
Romney said he had stood by for as long as he could during the contentious campaign.
The time came when Donald Trump’s outrage had reached such a level that I simply had to speak out. Your grandkids are going to say to you, ‘Papa, what did you do to stop Donald Trump?’ And I finally had to get out there and speak.”