Mitt Romney became the first Republican senator to pronounce the phrase “Black Lives Matter” on Sunday as he marched with Christian protesters in Washington, D.C.
The Utah politician was the first major politician in his party to join the protests after the killing of a black man named George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota last week in the custody of white police officers.
Texas Rep. Will Hurd was the first elected Republican to attend a protest in Houston on Tuesday. Hurd, who is African American, is not running for reelection in November.
I'm in Houston marching in solidarity with George Floyd's family. We are showing you can be outraged by a black man getting murdered in police custody, thankful for our First Amendment rights and angered that people are looting and rioting, which goes against our American values. pic.twitter.com/1ZLv4Ebupn
— Rep. Will Hurd (@HurdOnTheHill) June 2, 2020
Romney, who will not endorse the re-election campaign of President Donald Trump, says he wants to find “a way to end violence and brutality and to make sure that people understand that black lives matter.”
.@MittRomney is marching with a group of nearly 1,000 Christians to the White House. Here he is on video saying why he’s walking: “… to make sure that people understand that Black Lives Matter” https://t.co/KCxJNchCMs pic.twitter.com/Za0Am2WL8g
— Hannah Natanson (@hannah_natanson) June 7, 2020
In a separate exchange with another reporter, the former GOP nominee for president added: “We need a voice against racism, we need many voices against racism and against brutality. And we need to stand up and say black lives matter.”
Romney’s father, George Romney, a former governor of Michigan, did something similar in the 1960s during the fight over civil rights. He faced a lot of backlash and criticism from some white voters at the time.
This is my father, George Romney, participating in a Civil Rights march in the Detroit suburbs during the late 1960s—“Force alone will not eliminate riots,” he said. “We must eliminate the problems from which they stem.” pic.twitter.com/SzrcAyfPD8
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) June 6, 2020
Things have changed, and Mitt Romney was applauded for his commitment to justice and equality in this country. Proponents of the cause are hoping that other Republicans will follow his lead on the matter.
However, some critics say that Romney played a major role in turning Trump into a mainstream figure in America. The former governor of Massachusetts sought the endorsement of the New York billionaire when he ran for president in 2012 despite the fact the reality TV star was the leading voice behind birtherism.
Romney also tried to become Trump’s secretary of state in 2016 and landed his endorsement when he ran for the senate in 2018.
Nuance voices say that it is never too late to do the right thing and hope that Romney will cross party lines and endorse Joe Biden for president.
One commenter stated: “YOU ARE THE ONLY REPUBLICAN WHO LEAD BY EXAMPLE WHEN IT COMES TU RELIGIÓN YOU ARE NOT A HYPOCRITE LIKE THE REST OF REPUBLICANS ALL MY RESPECT TO YOU SIR GOD BLESS YOU.”
A second person added: “Thank you for not just ignorantly standing by a party but choosing to do what’s right for this country.”
A Trump supporter hit back with: “Twitt, you were and still are an embarrassment to Utah and the USA. Joseph Smith is turning in his grave.”
Time will tell if Romney is going to help Democrats turn Utah blue in November.
Black Lives Matter. pic.twitter.com/JpXUFlxH2J
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) June 7, 2020
