Roby Jernigan, Campus Carrier Assistant Online Editor

Last Friday, when Mitt Romney finally decided to withdraw his name from consideration for the Republican Party’s nomination in the 2016 presidential election, there was a range of mixed reactions. In my opinion, it was the best thing for Mitt Romney and the Republican Party.

Because of the negativity that has recently surrounded President Obama’s administration, there has been a moderate shift for American voters that leaves the Republican Party as the favorable party at this point.

This was proven in the most recent midterm elections, when the Republicans took the majority in both bodies of congress by a large amount. What does this mean to the Republican Party for the 2016 presidential election? With the right choice as its nominee, the party should have a clear path to the presidency.

The important part of that sentence is that the Republican Party will need to make the right choice. Mitt Romney was clearly not the right choice.

Romney has had his chance to run for president twice already, and twice he has not been successful. This disappointed many of our nation’s voters, including Republicans. Romney’s presidential campaign in 2012 was the source of much controversy, as most presidential campaigns are. I believe his plan to fix our economic deficit lead to his campaign’s demise. Many voters claimed his tax plan was too pro-big business and did not help the lower classes. Whether this is true or not, image and belief are everything.

In addition to a controversial economic platform, Romney’s religion caused strife among many Republican voters, especially those in the Bible Belt. The voters from the Bible Belt make up a very large percentage of the Republican Party, and Romney’s Mormonism led many of these voters to opt out of voting in the 2012 election. 

While some of Romney’s social policies lean more left than other Republicans, the majority of his stances on hot-button issues are far too conservative for our changing times. For instance, Romney opposed same-sex marriage which the majority of “new” voters support. This was surely a downfall in his previous campaigns.

While it is impossible to know who will eventually receive the Republican Party’s nomination for president, Romney’s decision to withdraw his name from consideration has left the door open for new and upcoming Republicans to secure the nomination. A new, fresh face for the Republican Party will do nothing but good.

 The party will have a difficult time beating Democratic favorite Hillary Clinton in her bid to be the first woman president. However, with Obama’s failed policies and the right choice, the Republican Party has a good chance of being home to the next leader of the free world.​