evidence: Utah political leaders responded to Sen. Mitt Romney’s announcement on Wednesday that he will not seek a second term, most with praise, some with political jockeying. [...] "Senator Romney has proven to be one of the great patriots of our time, devoting his life to the preservation of American democracy and our Constitution — not for personal gain, but for true love of country," McMullin said on X. "I’m disappointed to learn of his retirement and echo his calls for a new generation of American leadership. Thank you, Mitt!" [...] "Mitt Romney’s term in the Senate will be remembered. A former presidential standard-bearer, he represented an alternative vision of the Republican Party, one that prizes very different values than the party of Donald Trump," Karpowitz said. "Most of all, Romney will be remembered for his political courage. He repeatedly chose his conscience and the Constitution over partisanship, even in the midst of withering political pressure. ... It is the rare politician who can leave Washington, DC knowing that he remained true to his core values even when they were tested in the most direct and public way possible."