Romney Enjoys Favorability from a Majority of Utah Voters, but a Plurality are Against a Romney Re-Run
PHOENIX (April 3, 2023)- As U.S. Senator from Utah Mitt Romney considers whether he will throw his hat in the ring for re-election in 2024, O.H. Predictive Insights (OHPI) polled Utah voters to discover their opinions on Romney’s potential bid for re-election. In the second of four quarterly surveys in 2023, OHPI’s Utah Public Opinion Pulse (UTPOP) found an interesting disparity between Romney’s above-water image and underwater support for a potential re-run.
This UTPOP was conducted from March 14th – March 23rd, 2023. The survey sample was 600 Utah registered voters with a margin of error of +/-4.0%.
Mitt Romney Favorability
A slim majority (51%) of Utah voters hold a favorable view of the former Republican nominee for President. While above water across party lines, support for Romney’s image is varied across the spectrum. The Republican incumbent Senator is most popular with Independents and Democrats, with double-digit net favorability among each. Among his own party, his net favorability only reached +4.
However, Utah voters’ favorability of Mitt Romney doesn’t necessarily translate to support for a run for re-election in 2024.
Romney Re-Run
Utah voters are split on whether Mitt Romney should run for re-election in 2024, with a razor-thin margin saying he should not. One in five remain unsure.
Democrats are the most favorable toward a Romney re-run with a net of +21. Republicans, however, are averse to a potential re-election bid from Romney. With at least one-quarter of Democrats and Independents unsure, Republicans are the most opinionated in their position, with only 14% indicating that they were unsure.
“Romney has seemed to age backward throughout his political career,” said Mike Noble, OHPI Chief of Research, “ten years ago, he was the nominee for President and the standard-bearer of the GOP; now, he can barely muster a third of his own party’s support for a re-election bid.”
Among respondents who had an opinion about Romney, OHPI analyzed the differences in his favorability and electoral support, and found that Romney’s opponents are more likely to vote against him than his supporters are to vote for him. Eight in 10 (83%) of opponents indicated that they don’t want Romney to run, compared to only 68% of Romney supporters indicating that they want him to run for re-election.
Demographic Drivers
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Utah Republicans who say they are more supporters of Donald Trump than supporters of the Republican Party are the most against a Romney re-run, with 70% saying he should not run for re-election. Among those who say they are supporters of the Republican Party, opinions are split, with 41% saying he should and 43% saying he shouldn’t. Opinions among suburban women are equally divided between yes and no (36% each), and uncertainty is high in this group (28%).
“Voters still have much to decide heading into 2024, the Romney question being one of them,” said Mike Noble. “These key demographics will likely be the ultimate indicator of whether Romney will get a second term.”
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Methodology: This poll was conducted as an online opt-in panel survey. The survey was completed by O.H. Predictive Insights from March 14th – March 23rd, 2023 from a Utah Statewide Registered Voter sample. The sample demographics were weighted to accurately reflect gender, region, age, party affiliation, ethnicity, and education. The sample size was 600 completed surveys, with a MoE of ± 4.0%. Among the 600 voters surveyed, 302 were Utah Registered Republicans, yielding a MoE of +/- 5.64% with this group. Numbers may not equal 100% due to rounding.
Media Contacts:
Veronica Sutliff, O.H. Predictive Insights, v.sutliff@ohpredictive.com, (602) 390-5248
Mike Noble, O.H. Predictive Insights, m.noble@ohpredictive.com, (480) 313-1837
About O.H. Predictive Insights: As a nonpartisan public opinion polling, market research, and data analytics firm, O.H. Predictive Insights exists to elevate the world around us by empowering leaders and decision-makers with digestible data and actionable insights that translate to data-based solutions. We bridge the gap between research and strategy with customized strategic research, a hyper-focus on impact, and being true partners with our clients. O.H. Predictive Insights is a 2023 Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company in the Southwest region, and is ranked in the top 15 most accurate pollsters as well as in the top 5 for lowest average bias in the 2021-22 election cycle by FiveThirtyEight. For more information, please call (602) 362-5694 or visit our website at www.ohpredictive.com.
About the UTPOP: The Utah Public Opinion Pulse (UTPOP) survey is a statewide survey of a base sample of 600 – 800 general population state residents (18+ YO) with a statistically significant sample size of registered and likely voters included. Deploying surveys on a quarterly basis, we are able to gauge and keep an accurate and consistent pulse on the perceptions, opinions, and future decisions of state residents on a number of relevant issues and pressing topics for corporate and political insights. With statewide Public Opinion Pulses also conducted in Nevada and Arizona in addition to Utah, our surveys allow data-seekers to look through the 3 unique lenses of general population residents, registered voters, and likely voters in each state for insights most relevant to them. To learn more about our statewide public opinion surveys and for information on how to purchase customized questions to add to our surveys, click here.