Mitt Romney decided not to run for the third time for president

Republican Mitt Romney announced on Friday that he had decided not to participate in the 2016 presidential election of the year, which would be his third. Speaking to his supporters, Romney noted that it was time for a new generation of Republicans to join the fight for the White House.

“Having seriously considered running for President again, I decided it would be best to give other leaders of our party a chance to be the next nominee,” Romney said in a statement he read to supporters in New York via conference call.

Three weeks ago, Romney announced at a closed meeting of sponsors in New York that he could enter the election race. In a statement on Friday, he explained that the reaction to his possible nomination surprised and pleased him, and a number of polls showed that he is leading among other possible candidates.

“I am confident that we could get the nomination, but I am well aware that it would not be an easy test and would require a hard fight,” Romney said.

Romney would have to face serious competition in the fight for sponsors, as more than a dozen other prominent party representatives, including former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, are thinking about fighting for a republican nomination.

According to Romney, he still believes that he would have every chance of defeating his rival Democrat thanks to such campaign principles as his desire to “make the world safer” and strengthen the US economy for the sake of the middle class.

“You know that I wanted to become president. But I don't want to make it more difficult for someone who might emerge on the political horizon and who might have a better chance of becoming president," he added.

He acknowledged that this decision was not easy for him and his wife, Ann, but both firmly believe that "it would be better for the party and for the country."

Source - Voice of America