Mitt Romney's Senate exit may create a vacuum of vocal, conservative Trump critics

Sen. Mitt Romney is due to give his final speech after seeing the Republican Party for which he was once the standard bearer drastically transform under Donald Trump. At a news conference Friday at his Salt Lake City office, the retiring senator is expected to reflect on his two-decade political career, which included the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, a term as Massachusetts governor and several skirmishes with Trump loyalists in Congress. Romney, 77, chose not to run for reelection this year after representing Utah in the Senate since 2019. He has said he would like to focus on getting more young people involved in politics after he leaves office in January.