Mitt Romney called 'delusional' as he says Nikki Haley is 'only one that has a shot' to beat Donald Trump

DETROIT, MICHIGAN: In an interview on Sunday, December 10, Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) stated that Nikki Haley, the GOP's 2024 presidential contender, is the "only one that has a shot" of unseating former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.

However, he refrained from endorsing a particular candidate.

“Well, because if I endorsed them, that would be the kiss of death. I’m not going to do that. Shall I endorse the person I like least right now?” Romney said on NBC News’ 'Meet the Press' when asked why he had nor endorsed anyone in the GOP race yet.

Mitt Romney's take on Nikki Haley

While praising Chris Christie's performance, Romney said that Haley had a better chance of winning the nomination than the former New Jersey governor.

“I’m not gonna be endorsing President Trump, obviously. I’ve made that very clear. Look, Chris Christie has done a terrific job so far. I think his being in the race has kept Donald Trump from coming to the debates, because I think Donald Trump recognized if he went to the debate with Chris Christie, Chris Christie would reveal him for what he was. And Trump would be badly hurt. So he stayed out,” Romney mentioned.

He added, "Nikki Haley, she’s rising. Right now, I think she’s the only one that has a shot at becoming the nominee other than President Trump. It’s a long shot on her part, but she’s the one that has a shot. So we’ll see."

Romney stated that he's "not going to describe who I'll rule out other than President Trump" after harshly criticizing President Biden's policies and repeatedly sidestepping questions about how he would vote if Biden and Trump faced off in a debate.

Internet reacts to Mitt Romney's statement

Many internet users reacted to Mitt Romney's comment on Nikki Haley and Donald Trump. A user wrote, "Mitt is delusional", while one commented, "Sorry Mitt, the legacy GOP isn't coming back."

Another person said, "I am pro Haley (and DeSantis) but wish Romney would not endorse anyone running in the primary", while one stated, "The donor class, represented by Romney, fighting back."

A person also mentioned, "And there’s the nail in the coffin for Nikki Haley’s campaign. He might as well endorse Liz Cheney for President. Same thing."