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SALT LAKE CITY — Mitt Romney isn't going to the Republican National Convention that will officially nominate Donald Trump as the party's presidential candidate, an aide confirmed Thursday.
"Gov. Romney has no plans to attend the convention," a Romney aide told KSL News. Romney, the Republican Party's 2012 pick, helped jumpstart the now-stalled "Stop Trump" movement.
But Romney isn't alone in skipping the convention in Cleveland this July.
Of the five living Republican nominees, only former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole, the party's 1996 pick, has said will attend the convention, though he's primarily making the trip for a reception being held by his law firm. Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush said Wednesday they won't be there.
Arizona Sen. John McCain, who beat Romney in 2008 to claim the GOP presidential nomination, already has said he'll be campaigning for re-election instead of traveling to Cleveland despite having spoken at every Republican convention since 1984.
Trump told CNBC Thursday he doesn't care if they're not there.
The billionaire businessman and reality TV star said he has "tremendous support," but he added, "We are going to have some people that aren't going to want to play the game and that's OK. I mean, if they don't want to, I don't think it matters."
Romney has not commented on Trump's new status as the GOP's presumptive nominee, the result of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich ending their campaigns after big losses in Indiana's primary Tuesday.
In March, Romney labeled Trump a fraud and a phony in a widely covered speech at the University of Utah. Later, Romney urged his fellow Utah Republicans to help defeat Trump by voting for Cruz in the March 22 presidential preference caucus.
In a Facebook post just before the Utah GOP caucus announcing he would vote for Cruz, Romney said the choice was between Republicanism and what he called "Trumpism."
"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," Romney posted.
Utah Republicans gave Cruz just under 70 percent of the caucus vote, more than enough to claim all of the state's 40 delegates to the national convention. Trump trailed behind Kasich in the caucus vote with 14 percent.
When the Utah GOP chose the delegates going to the national convention last month, a slate committed to supporting Cruz through multiple ballots claimed all but two spots, which went to supporters of the "Stop Trump" effort.
Neither Romney, who has homes in Utah and votes here, nor any of his family members sought to be national delegates from the state.
Trump has also lagged behind in polls of Utah voters. A Deseret News/KSL poll found if Trump is the GOP nominee, Utah would vote for a Democrat for president in November for the first time since 1964.
University of Utah political science professor Matthew Burbank said former nominees typically don't have a significant role in a national convention viewed as kicking off the general election campaign.
But that usually doesn't keep the former party standard bearers away, Burbank said. Even without a prime speaking spot, there's plenty for politicos to do at a convention including help raise funds.
"Romney is in the position that lots of Republicans are in at the moment," Burbank said. "How do you support your party and your nominee when you really don't support that person?"
Stan Lockhart, a former Utah GOP chairman who put together a "Stop Trump" slate of national delegates, said he's not sure he can be sold on Trump and isn't convinced Romney will be to support him either.
"I'm guessing Mitt Romney has the same challenges I have. He's looking at what he feels the qualifications are to be president and what he wants in a president, and he's having a hard time," Lockhart said.
"There is a significant segment of Republicans that are not yet persuaded by Donald Trump. They want to be, but so far he's not brought to the table" evidence, Lockhart said, that he can "lead our country from a conservative foundation."
Contributing: Ladd Egan
