Romney ‘successfully treated’ for prostate cancer last summer

In this Nov. 29, 2016, file photo, former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney talks with reporters in New York. | Associated Press photo by Evan Vucci, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – Former Massachusetts governor and 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney was treated for prostate cancer last year, a source told The Associated Press.

The news came from an aide to Romney who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The aide said Monday that Romney was diagnosed with “slow-growing prostate cancer” last year. The cancer was removed surgically and found not to have spread beyond the prostate, the aide said.

CNN also confirmed Romney has been treated over the summer at a California hospital and that the “prognosis is good and that he was successfully treated.”

The 70-year-old Romney is seen as being a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate now that Sen. Orrin Hatch has announced he will retire at the end of this current term.

In this file photo, President-elect Donald Trump and Mitt Romney shake hands as Romney leaves Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in Bedminster, N.J., Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 | AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster. St. George News

Read more: Hatch to ‘hang up the gloves’ after over 40 years in Senate; Utah leaders, others respond

In the wake of Hatch’s announcement, the Associated Press reported that Romney and President Donald Trump spoke about Hatch briefly last Thursday.

The two men haven’t had the best of political relationships in the past, as Romney referred to Trump as “a fraud” who had “neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president” during the 2016 campaign.

For his part, Trump had urged Hatch to run for an 8th term, reportedly so he wouln’t have to deal with Romney as a senator.

Read more: Trump backs Hatch for 8th term in bid to block Romney

While there has been rampant speculation on Romney’s possibly stepping into the 2018 senate race, the man himself has been rather tight lipped on the issue.

Romney hasn’t lacked for supporters, though, as former Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, have approached him about running for Senate.

In Utah, a trio of legislators went as far as to create an online petition last fall urging Romney to run called RecruitRomney.com.

Romney is popular in Utah where he is highlighted as the man who led a turnaround of the scandal-plagued 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and as a prominent Mormon businessman and politician in the state that is home to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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5 Comments

  • mshaw January 9, 2018 at 2:24 am

    It’s a sympathy gag to try to get us all to vote for him for the senate!!!! Ha I’m not buying it Larry Myers is the better choice for all of us at least he will follow the Trump agenda

    • mesaman January 10, 2018 at 6:50 am

      I seriously doubt if he needs your vote. Try saying Senator Romney, with out gasping, choking, or whining. Meyers will be fortunate if he gets 1%. Even if he gets the ultra right vote.

  • Uncle Lenny January 9, 2018 at 11:40 am

    Mori, how many other men were treated successfully? Why is this one guy newsworthy on that point?

  • Not_So_Much January 9, 2018 at 2:48 pm

    East coast to live, CA for surgery and Utah when you want power in politics. Vote Larry Myers and make America great.

  • PlanetU January 9, 2018 at 8:34 pm

    NOT Larry Meyers. He can’t even keep up the care of his home and property.

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