Romney's career from 1994-2012 was often a study in opportunism, but his conduct in the Trump era has been consistent and admirable (a short thread, 1/x).
Many prominent Republicans were "against" Trump during his ascent; Romney was one of the few to speak out directly and at least attempt to coordinate opposition, rather than simply hand-wringing followed by surrender.
His willingness to be interviewed for the Secretary of State position, accepting a certain humiliation at Trump's hands, was not inconsistent with his position that Trump was unfit; an unfit president needs fit servants all the more.
When he decided to run for Senate I wrote a column asking if Romney had learned anything from his "47 percent" defeat and the subsequent populist turn.
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On the evidence of his time in the Senate, he has in fact learned something. As Fred Bauer notes, he has been more populist-friendly on policy than many more overtly pro-Trump senators, and gone further on pro-family policy especially.
My pal @michaelbd suggests (correctly) that in voting to convict Trump he's earned a lifetime seat at certain liberal tables. But he's eschewed the easy path to that seat by choosing Congress over the MSNBC circuit, voting for conservative judges instead of abjuring the GOP.
@michaelbd There's certainly a case against removing Trump. But the promise many reluctantly pro-Trump Senate Rs made was to restrain Trumpian corruption, and their impeachment approach doesn't do that. Romney's vote is an actual check, not just a shrug.
@michaelbd To recap: Opposing Trump when it was possible to stop him, being willing to serve in the administration if he were wanted and remaining politically active instead of MSNBCing it, and pivoting toward populism without embracing corruption is a consistent and honorable record.
@michaelbd And the fact that I disagree with the trajectory that much of NeverTrump has taken since 2016 makes me appreciate Romney's overall approach that much more. Now back to my regularly scheduled cynicism.
