Mitt Romney said he’s “one of those Republicans” who thinks humans are contributing to a warming planet and that “real leadership” is needed to combat greenhouse gas emissions.
Romney’s remarks at an investment management conference in Salt Lake City, reported by the Deseret News, follow ones he made Monday in California, where he said he hopes those skeptical of humans’ impact on the climate are correct, but that he’s not one of those people.
The comments from the former Republican White House nominee come as Senate Republicans voted Wednesday whether humans significantly contribute to climate change — five did so. But Republicans are searching for a way to address the issue with their own solutions, and Romney’s recent statements appear to put him in that category.
Romney and former GOP Florida Gov. Jeb Bush are set to meet this weekend in Utah to discuss their plans for the 2016 presidential election.
While Romney is attempting to stake out some space on climate change, the issue doesn’t necessarily play well with Republican primary voters. Exit poll data conducted by Edison Research during the 2014 election showed it was the most divisive issue between Democratic and Republican voters — 86 percent of Democrats said climate change was a serious problem, compared with 31 percent of Republicans.
