Tagg Romney Senate Candidacy Report Points To Shallow GOP Bench In Massachusetts

Tagg Romney, the son of former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, announced Monday afternoon that he would not run in the Massachusetts special election, following a Boston Herald report touting his potential candidacy.

"I have been humbled by the outreach I received this weekend encouraging me to become a candidate for the US Senate," he said in a statement. "I love my home state and admit it would be an honor to represent the citizens of our great Commonwealth. However, I am currently committed to my business and to spending as much time as I can with my wife and children. The timing is not right for me, but I am hopeful that the people of Massachusetts will select someone of great integrity, vision, and compassion as our next US Senator."

The Herald report earlier Monday that Romney was considering a run followed a Saturday story from the conservative-leaning tabloid with the headline that the state GOP is mulling "Romney energy." "ROMNEY 911" read the paper's headline.

The reports about Romney's possible run follow former Sen. Scott Brown's (R-Mass.) decision against a run Friday, leaving Republicans without any obvious candidate to replace him.

Former Gov. Bill Weld said no Monday.

Former State Senate Minority leader Richard Tisei said no Saturday.

Former gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker said no Thursday.

The Herald also reported that Romney's lieutenant governor, Kerry Healey, was unlikely to get in.

That leaves statewide unknowns for office. State Rep. Dan Winslow is making an announcement about a bid Tuesday. Former Navy SEAL and businessman Gabriel Gomez is also frequently mentioned as a candidate.

There are few ways up for a Massachusetts Republican to run for Senate, especially in such a short amount of time. The state's congressional delegation is all Democratic, and just 33 out of 200 state legislators are Republicans.

"I hate to speak ill of fellow Republicans, but there is no good way to spin that the GOP has been left in the lurch by former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown’s backing out of the special election," wrote Massachusetts Republican strategist Holly Robichaud in the Herald Monday. "With less than 23 days to get 10,000 certified signatures for the ballot, the timing of his decision is like leaving a bride at the altar."

This post has been updated to reflect the fact that Tagg Romney will not be running for Senate.

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• John Kerry (2013-Present)

  John Kerry leaves a Senate Foreign Relations Committee markup on Jan. 29, 2013 after a vote was held on his confirmation as Secretary of State. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

• Hillary Clinton (2009-13)

  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks at a press conference on November 14, 2012. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Condoleezza Rice (2005-09)

  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talks about the State Department's 2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices during a March 11, 2008 briefing in Washington. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Colin Powell (2001-05)

  U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks on June 22, 2004, about a corrected version of an inaccurate terrorism report issued by the government. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Madeleine Albright (1997-2001)

  U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright delivers a Russia policy briefing on September 16, 1999 in Washington. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Warren Christopher (1993-97)

  U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher briefs reporters on the peace process in Bosnia during a Dec. 8, 1995 press conference. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Lawrence Eagleburger (1992-93)

  Then-acting Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger listens to a reporter's question during a Nov. 18, 1992 news conference at the State Department. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• James Baker (1989-92)

  James Baker III waves to his associates at the US State Department on August 13, 1992. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• George P. Shultz (1982-89)

  U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz listens to a question during his first day of testimony before Iran-Contra investigators on July 23, 1987 in Washington. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Alexander Haig (1981-82)

  Alexander Haig, Secretary of State-designate, a Reagan nominee on Monday, Dec. 23, 1980 in Washington for the announcement of selections. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Edmund Muskie (1980-81)

  (Pictured left) Freed hostage Richard Queen, right, greets well wishers at the State Department on Monday, July 21, 1980 in Washington. At left is Secretary of State Edmund Muskie. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Cyrus Vance (1977-80)

  Cyrus Vance, U.S. Secretary of State, pictured in 1979. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Henry Kissinger (1973-77)

  Secretary of State Henry Kissinger announces during an April 29, 1975 press conference in Washington that the evacuation of Americans from Vietnam and Saigon is complete, thus ending US involvement. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• William P. Rogers (1969-73)

  Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, left, and Secretary of State William P. Rogers begin talks at the Department of State on Feb. 7, 1972 in Washington. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Dean Rusk (1961-69)

  Secretary of State Dean Rusk is shown during a news conference in Washington, D.C., on March 1, 1962. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Christian Herter (1959-61)

  President Dwight Eisenhower, left, says goodbye to Secretary of State Christian Herter in Gettsburg, Pennsylvania, on May 2, 1959 as Herter is about to board a helicopter on the President's farm to return to Washington. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• John Foster Dulles (1953-59)

  U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles (left) gets together with South Korean President Syngman Rhee in Seoul on August 4, 1953. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Dean Acheson (1949-53)

  U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson speaks from the State Department on Nov. 29, 1950 in Washington. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• George C. Marshall (1947-49)

  Gen. George C. Marshall poses in his Red Cross office on Sept. 13, 1950 in Washington. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• James F. Byrnes (1945-47)

  James F. Byrnes, United States Secretary of State, links arms with Associated Press correspondent, John Hightower, at Central Hall, Westminster in London, Jan. 15, 1946. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Edward Reilly Stettinius (1944-45)

  France's Foreign Minister Georges Bidault makes a VE Day radio statement from the Opera House in San Francisco, CA, May 8, 1945. Seated at the far right U.S. Secretary of State Edward Stettinius. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>) <em><strong>Correction</strong>: An earlier version of this text misspelled Stettinius' surname.</em>

• Cordell Hull (1933-44)

  U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt is greeted by Secretary of State Cordell Hull on Sept. 15, 1938 in Washington. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Henry Lewis Stimson (1929-33)

  Henry Lewis Stimson, American Secretary of State for War shown around July 1931. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Frank B. Kellogg (1925-29)

  Former United States Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg on Aug. 17, 1936 at Waterloo Station in London. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

• Charles Evans Hughes (1921-25)

  (Center) Former Secretary of State and Chief justice Charles Evans Hughes, pictured on on March 27, 1931. (Source: <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/">U.S. Department Of State</a>)

Comments

[snowyphile]

11:01 PM on 02/06/2013

Zitt remains an available name for a Romney scion, but who knows how long that will last?

[ML ML]

11:55 PM on 02/05/2013

pray for the little girl minors getting IT at utah LDS altar right now and each day, pray for the pow's still in camps, pray for the weakend sick dying people, pets and pray the LDS out of office

[ML ML]

11:54 PM on 02/05/2013

WHERES THE MORMON PLANET ANYWAY
the usa needs to ESCAPE FROM POLYGAMY,,,fire the elected mormons
whats polygamy and why do they RAPE LITTLE GIRLS IN UTAH
mormons arent even human, they believe joseph smith is god and theyre all aliens from some pittiful planet, I SWEAR TO GOD.
Fire all the mormons and theyll go home to their planet wherever it is
outlaw rape and polygamy, mormons will kill themselves
His real name is "Taggart" (seriously, it is). Any less ridiculous than "Tagg"? Hmm...no.

[ML ML]

11:53 PM on 02/05/2013

great thinking--the usa needs to ESCAPE FROM POLYGAMY,,,fire the elected mormons--now smack obama- its time to fix this sheet...double whip sound-
remove the mormons from offices
they prey on the weak and honest hopeful, then clean your clock
who voted for bush who stole all our economy and romney who wanted us all in his C U L T (what the matter with you all) and wanted world domination
in 2007 bush had ruined the economy and warred us into debt after trillions in the black wasted by war mongering....
next election i expect repubs to pick a Real man, Mitts not- mutt the dog raper 1/2 man from utah, thumb ups are from Real men, downs are from Lds rapers
theyre sad 1/2 men thatll steal anything not nailed down from the voters
ML ML: They use the authority that the "Heavenly Father" gives them over the women and girls in their stake. Every man is a "Priest" so as they progress in faith they eventually become "Bishops." That is why they are constantly trying to convert people, the more members of the Church, the more Bishops are needed. I think Mitt Romney was running for president to "legitimize" his Church; his real goal was to be the head of a much-expanded Church of Latter Day Saints.
mormons believe in baptizing the dead....
can't they baptize Mitt, and bring him back to life again ?
ha, ha,

[FilmNoirFan]

02:53 PM on 02/05/2013

You know you're desparate if you ask a Romney to run for office. I wouldn't want Romney to run for dog catcher with their bad dog rep.

[CoronaDischarge]

11:42 AM on 02/05/2013

"This post has been updated to reflect the fact that Tagg Romney will not be running for Senate."

Nevermind.

[SAnn]

11:05 AM on 02/05/2013

Stay home tag. You are too much like your Dad. Rich and insincere.

[mmgbizgirl]

11:03 AM on 02/05/2013

The Romney name is dead in politics. Dead.

[SPQR1052]

10:59 AM on 02/05/2013

I'd love to take a swing at Tag.

[BrandonMarks32]

10:25 AM on 02/05/2013

aka "I don't have any Koch brother money flooding my family anymore since we got absolutely embarrassed in the past election." Tagg- you're not it.

[irv]

10:15 AM on 02/05/2013

he decided not to run because he knew he could not win in mass.

[Carl Caroli]

10:06 AM on 02/05/2013

Enough with the family dynasties. Daddy had nothing to offer, and neither does he.

[NovemberScorp]

09:49 AM on 02/05/2013

And the clown car keeps on giving us laughs ...

[Hardyman1966]

09:38 AM on 02/05/2013

Translation:  My last name is toxic and I have nothing to offer.

[quovadis3]

09:33 AM on 02/05/2013

Taggs' Dad proved to be un-American. Hides his wealth from the public he wanted to lead. Embraced a war he wouldn't serve in. Called most of the general public moochers. Laid claim to saving the Utah Olympics without highlighting the federal dollars pushed into saving the event. Denied tethers to Bain all the while receiving distributions. Touted bringing jobs to American shores while investing in China, outsoucing jobs and selling cigarettes in Russia. Repealing his own Obamacare. The family is a walking contradiction. Think the country has had its fill of this carnival outfit for awhile.

[FilmNoirFan]

03:03 PM on 02/05/2013

Your mention of carnival made me think of the 1962 horror movie Carnival of Souls.

Another Romney running for office = real life horror movie