As he mulls a third run for the White House, Mitt Romney put in a call Tuesday to another failed two-time presidential contender, Sen. John McCain, to talk about it, the senator said.
“He’s seriously considering it,” Mr. McCain said of Mr. Romney’s intentions for the 2016 race, as he recounted the call to reporters at the Capitol.
“We discussed issues and friendships. We had a long conversation. We’re very good friends,” said the Arizona Republican, who ran unsuccessfully for his party’s presidential nomination in 2000 and was the 2008 GOP standard-bearer who lost to then-Sen. Barack Obama.
After vowing not to run again following his 2012 defeat, Mr. Romney has been angling closer to another run. Last week, he reportedly told a group of Republican donors that he still wants to be president.
Mr. McCain said that he would respect Mr. Romney’s decision if he throws his hat in the ring. He said he told Mr. Romney that he “can understand some of the reasons why you are interested in running again.”
He joked about Mr. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor who lost his bid for the presidential nomination in 2008 and then lost to Mr. Obama as the Republican nominee in 2014, seeking his campaign advice.
“He said, ’You are the greatest candidate. I’m going to do everything the way you did.’ No,” Mr. McCain quipped.
The senator said that he would be “open” to supporting Mr. Romney, though he also supports Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and close ally of Mr. McCain who has floated himself as a presidential contender.
“I’ve got to think Lindsey will be in it until the final primary,” he said.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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