Last Updated on May 1, 2021
Sen. Mitt Romney, the lone Republican Senator to vote to impeach President Donald Trump in both of the 45th President’s Senate impeachment trials, was just loudly booed at the Utah Republican Party convention at the Maverick Center in West Valley, Utah.
Romney was greeted by boos immediately after entering the stage. Apparently mistaking the boos for applause, Romney began by smiling and thanking the booing crowd profusely. He offered thanks and thumbs up to the crowd for over two minutes as the crowd continued to boo his presence.
“So what do you think about President Biden’s first 100 days,” Romney said, beginning his speech even as the crowd made it almost impossible to hear him through their boos. Romney eventually stopped speaking for several seconds before asking the crowd, “Aren’t you embarrassed?” At one point a Republican Party operative approached the podium and instructed the crowd to “show respect.”
“So yeah, I understand I have a few folks who don’t like me terribly much, and I’m sorry about that.” Soon after, the crowd began booing again. “You can boo all you want, I’ve been a Republican all my life.” The crowd later broke into thunderous applause when Romney left the stage.
Ben Winslow, a Utah based reporter, confirmed the booing with another video captured from a different angle. “Senator Romney is getting boo’d loudly at the Utah GOP convention,” wrote Winslow.
.@SenatorRomney is getting boo’d loudly at the @UtahGOP convention. @fox13 #utpol #utgop pic.twitter.com/4vMwVnh6YI
— Ben Winslow (@BenWinslow) May 1, 2021
Romney has repeatedly suffered public humiliation at the hands of Trump supporters due to his repeated verbal criticisms of the 45th President. After voting to confirm electoral votes from states with credible reports of widespread voter fraud, Romney was heckled on a crowded flight back to Utah.
“You know what we think!” a passenger called out in the footage. The plane’s cabin then erupted in chants of “Traitor! Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!” while Romney hunched over in his seat in a submissive posture and stared at his lap.
“Mitt Romney gets heckled on a flight to Washington DC by a large group of Trump supporters.” pic.twitter.com/qNSFaZwVU9
— Marinela Pavletich 📸 🇷🇴 (@MarinelaPavleti) January 6, 2021
Prior to the vote, Romney was heckled by Trump supporters before his flight to Washington, D.C. While wearing two masks, Romney repeatedly attempted to ignore the growing crowd of Trump supporters before he eventually collected his belongings and left the area.
After voting to impeach President Trump for the first time in February of last year, President Trump mockingly asked Utah Gov. Gary Herbert about Romney. President Trump asked, “How’s Mitt Romney?” Immediately, the crowd began to laugh. While he is off microphone, Herbert appeared to respond, “I haven’t talked with him.” The president then continued, “You can keep him,” ostensibly in Utah. “We don’t want him.”
President @realDonaldTrump to Utah Gov. Gary Herbert: How's Mitt Romney? You keep him. We don't want him😁 pic.twitter.com/FJPmMjn17z
— Wojciech Pawelczyk (@WojPawelczyk) February 10, 2020