This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Mitt Romney's decision not to run for president in 2016 drew reaction from around the political world Friday.
Here is a sampling of the reaction from some noted politicians.
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), former Romney running mate
.@MittRomney would've made a great President. I respect his & Ann's decision and will work with him to move our party forward in 2016.
— Paul Ryan (@PRyan) January 30, 2015Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah)
Bummer. Mitt would have been one of the best Presidents ever.
— Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) January 30, 2015Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert
"I have been a strong supporter of Gov. Romney all along and I believe he would have been a great president. His highly successful business career, his outstanding work with the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and his ability to work across the aisle as governor of Massachusetts, clearly demonstrate skill and talent that would have greatly benefitted our nation. I certainly respect his decision and I am sure he will continue to be an influential conservative voice on important issues. I believe the Republican party has a very strong field of potential candidates—particularly among the governors— and I like our chances to take back the White House in 2016."
Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes
"I'm disappointed that Mitt Romney has decided that he will not be running for President. I was waiting for the 'I told you so' tour. History has proven that Mitt Romney was right and President Obama was wrong on many issues, Speaker Hughes said. "He was the best candidate before and he would have been a great candidate again. I respect his decision and look forward to his continued role in the Republican Party and influence on key issues in the future."