Elections

Flashback: Romney Says It’s A ‘Mistake’ For Conventions To Choose Nominee

(REUTERS/Mike Blake)

Alex Pfeiffer White House Correspondent
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Mitt Romney is currently pushing for a contested convention, despite saying three years ago it would be a “mistake” to have a minority choose a nominee.

The former Massachusetts governor told The Boston Globe in 2013 that he wished to change the Republican party nomination process.

“I’m concerned that there’s an effort on the part of some to move toward caucuses or conventions to select nominees,” Romney said. “I think that’s a mistake.”

Romney has been actively campaigning against GOP front-runner Donald Trump. He has encouraged voters in each state to support whichever nominee has the best chance to beat him. “That would lead to an open convention, where you’d see the delegates selected make the final decision,” the former governor said early this March. (RELATED: GOP Delegate: We Pick The Nominee, ‘Not The General Public’)

In his interview three years ago, Romney criticized caucuses. He said about them, “I’m concerned that that kind of approach could end up with a minority deciding who the nominee ought to be. And that I think would be a mistake.”

Romney added, “I think we should have the majority of the party’s voters decide who they want as their nominee.” (RELATED: Behind The Scenes Battle Being Waged For Delegate Slots At Republican Convention)