West Wing creator backtracks pitch for Romney as Democratic nominee

The West Wing creator Andy Sorkin has backed out of his suggestion to have Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) replace President Joe Biden as the Democratic Party’s 2024 nominee, instead endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the spot.

Sorkin, best known for creating the NBC television series focusing on fictional President Josiah Bartlet, made his case for Romney in a guest essay published by the New York Times, contending this would unify Republican and Democratic voters who oppose former President Donald Trump . He suggested Romney would appeal to voters who supported former 2024 presidential candidate Nikki Haley in the Republican primary and that Romney as the nominee could make the case that Democrats were prioritizing their country over their own party.

The piece was later updated following Biden's announcement that he would not seek reelection, with Sorkin endorsing Harris. Sorkin does not have his own X account and opted instead to share his endorsement via the account of Josh Malina, who played Will Bailey on the West Wing.

“I need to borrow your Twitter account again,” the email screenshot Malina shared on X said. “I take it all back. Harris for America!”

In her first comments since Biden bowed out of the 2024 race, Harris praised the president’s “legacy of accomplishment.” She added that Biden, who caught COVID-19 last week, is feeling much better and looks forward to getting back on the road.

In his own statement reacting to Biden dropping out of the race, Romney said he did not see eye to eye with the president on a number of policies but found common ground on others.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“Others will judge his presidency. However, having worked with him these past few years, I respect President Biden,” said Romney, who ran for president in 2012 as a Republican. “His decision to withdraw from the race was right and is in the best interest of the country.”

The role of Democratic nominee is not the only presidential role that Romney has been pitched for. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) suggested in April that Romney take on the role of Harvard University’s president . The role is occupied by interim President Alan Garber, who took the position when ex-President Claudine Gay stepped down in January amid plagiarism allegations, along with controversial testimony in front of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.