Democrats praise Romney for breaking with GOP on convicting Trump

Congressional Democrats praised Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Wednesday for breaking from his party and becoming the first Republican to announce he would be voting to convict President Trump. 

The senator was hailed by Senate colleagues and House Democrats for joining them in voting to impeach and remove Trump over abuse of power. 

“I sat silently across the chamber, listening to my friend give one of the most important speeches I have ever had the good fortune to hear in person,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Ct.) tweeted shortly after Romney announced on the Senate floor that he would be voting to convict Trump.

“At a time when many wonder what honor is left in public life, there stands Mitt Romney,” Murphy added. 

I sat silently across the chamber, listening to my friend give one of the most important speeches I have ever had the good fortune to hear in person.

At a time when many wonder what honor is left in public life, there stands Mitt Romney.

— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 5, 2020

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) offered similar praise for his Republican colleague, whom he said “restored” his “faith in the idea that putting country over party is still possible.” 

Thank you, Mitt. You have restored my faith in the Senate and the idea that putting country over party is still possible.

— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) February 5, 2020

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a leading presidential candidate, said the vote to convict Trump is “an act of patriotism,” and thanked Romney for his patriotism. 

“Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one’s oath of office that I can imagine.”

I agree, @MittRomney. Voting to convict this president is an act of patriotism. Thank you for yours.

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 5, 2020

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) also thanked Romney for voting his conscience and doing what he knew in his “heart to be right.”

Thank you @MittRomney for rising to this moment, for choosing to vote your conscience, and for doing what you know in your heart to be right.

— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) February 5, 2020

House Democrats, who nearly all voted to impeach Trump at the end of last year, also championed Romney for his decision to break party ranks on the vote. 

“Thank you, Senator Romney, for your impeachment courage. You put our country’s national security above your own personal, political interests. That’s the opposite of what Donald Trump did. History will favorably know your name for this,” Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) tweeted. 

Thank you, @SenatorRomney, for your #impeachment courage. You put our country’s national security above your own personal, political interests. That’s the opposite of what @realDonaldTrump did. History will favorably know your name for this.

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) February 5, 2020

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) called Romney’s “remarkable speech” a “historic moment.” 

“Senator Romney is right. And he will make the vote to convict Trump of abuse of power bipartisan,” Beyer tweeted.

A remarkable speech on the Senate floor by Senator Mitt Romney, a former Republican nominee for President:

“What the president did was wrong. Grievously wrong.”

Senator Romney is right. And he will make the vote to convict Trump of abuse of power bipartisan.

A historic moment.

— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) February 5, 2020

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) said Romney did “what many of his GOP colleagues have been afraid to do when it comes to this President’s considerable contempt for the constitution—he told the truth.”

.@SenatorRomney has done what many of his @GOP colleagues have been afraid to do when it comes to this President’s considerable contempt for the constitution—he told the truth. pic.twitter.com/jGab4DxOL7

— Bobby L. Rush (@RepBobbyRush) February 5, 2020

–This report was updated at 3:34 p.m.