Dear Sen. Romney,
As a native Michigander, your father, George Romney, was the first governor that I remember. I was just a young girl when the Vietnam War was raging, and he, then running for president, returned from a trip there to admit that he had been “brainwashed.”
As we know, it was a stunning break from the GOP messaging and one that brought an end to his presidential aspirations. But when I think of your father and that episode, I think of a person who had the courage to speak the truth based on his own direct observations over there, on the ground, as he came to understand the actual situation.
I have always held your father in the highest esteem, and I imagine that he would have been exceptionally proud of you, casting the sole vote among Republican senators for the conviction of Donald Trump, who has done such damage to our country and our fellow Americans.
A similar opportunity has arisen around the rush to confirm a Supreme Court nominee, even though the majority of Americans believe that the process should not go forth until after the election.
We don’t always agree, Sen. Romney, but I sense that you are a person who cares more about the country than your own political prospects. Forgive me for being so bold, but I have a pretty good idea as to what your father would do in this situation. I can only hope that you will carry on his legacy. It just might save the country.
Wendy Chapin Ford, Newburyport, Mass.