Senator-elect Mitt Romney, fresh off his win in Utah to replace retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch, was reunited with an old pal Wednesday as he prepared for his first day in the 116th Congress. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who ran as Romney's running mate in the 2012 presidential election, helped him navigate his way through the halls of Capitol Hill.
An old friend dropped by to ask for directions to his new office. pic.twitter.com/j0cqKQ4T0b
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) November 14, 2018
Romney's welcome from Ryan may not be quite as warm as the one he gets from the president. The former Massachusetts governor has had a hot/cold relationship with Trump. He sparred with then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016, even referring to him as a "phony" and a "fraud." The two appeared to make amends after Trump won the election and was reportedly even mulling Romney for secretary of state. But, in the introduction video for his Senate campaign, Romney sounded off on how the U.S. needed to be more compassionate on immigration, which was seen as a subtle rebuke of President Trump's rhetoric.
Still, in June Romney predicted an easy re-election win for Trump in 2020, giving kudos to the robust economy, and predicting a radical Democratic candidate.
Ryan is retiring at the end of his current term. Romney's congressional career, meanwhile, is just beginning. In typical freshman fashion, his temporary office is in the basement.
Welcome to the Senate @MittRomney! pic.twitter.com/zmuCIASOzS
— Niels Lesniewski (@nielslesniewski) November 13, 2018
"This is an orientation day, and I’m getting orientated,” he told MSNBC this morning.
