Mitt Romney Is Not Running For President In 2016 ....Dining With Christie Tonight...

The Huffington Post |  By Paige Lavender & Sam Levine Email Posted: 01/30/2015 10:54 am EST

Former Massachusetts governor and 2012 GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said he will not run for president in 2016.

Romney

Hugh Hewitt posted text of the remarks Romney was to make on a conference call with donors discussing his 2016 plans on Friday.

"After putting considerable thought into making another run for president, I’ve decided it is best to give other leaders in the Party the opportunity to become our next nominee," the prepared remarks say. Romney lost his 2008 bid for the Republican presidential nomination to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and in 2012, ran unsuccessfully against President Barack Obama.

Romney hinted recently that he was exploring a run for the presidency after months of him saying he would not make another White House bid.

"I'm not running, I'm not planning on running, and I've got nothing new on that story," he told Bloomberg in October 2014. more