In a Facebook post, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said he plans to vote for Ted Cruz in the upcoming Utah caucus.
Romney, who was the Republican nominee for president in 2012, has been loudly speaking out against frontrunner Donald Trump. In Ohio, Romney campaigned against Trump by recording a robocall encouraging Republicans in the Buckeye State to vote for Kasich in last week’s primary to keep delegates away from the businessman. He recorded a similar robocall in favor of Marco Rubio, which was released in four states last week.
Now, Romney is backing Cruz, saying that voting for the Texas senator is the best way to ensure that the Republican convention in Cleveland is an open or a contested convention.
Here’s what Romney posted on his Facebook page:
This week, in the Utah nominating caucus, I will vote for Senator Ted Cruz.
Today, there is a contest between Trumpism and Republicanism. Through the calculated statements of its leader, Trumpism has become associated with racism, misogyny, bigotry, xenophobia, vulgarity and, most recently, threats and violence. I am repulsed by each and every one of these.
The only path that remains to nominate a Republican rather than Mr. Trump is to have an open convention. At this stage, the only way we can reach an open convention is for Senator Cruz to be successful in as many of the remaining nominating elections as possible.
I like Governor John Kasich. I have campaigned with him. He has a solid record as governor. I would have voted for him in Ohio. But a vote for Governor Kasich in future contests makes it extremely likely that Trumpism would prevail.
I will vote for Senator Cruz and I encourage others to do so as well, so that we can have an open convention and nominate a Republican.
Romney has not ruled out the possibility of accepting the GOP nomination resulting from a contested convention.
https://t.co/CTDNIA1p4P @MittRomney @tedcruz pic.twitter.com/4ByK2d9FRW
— The Weekly Standard (@weeklystandard) March 18, 2016
