If Mitt Romney beats Ms. Clinton it will because he set the stage for his victory during the primary season of 2012.
In the summer of 2012, when the rest of the GOP field was running to the right, Mitt Romney stuck to his moderate guns. While Michelle Bachman and Newt Gingrich stoked the fires of hatred and division among Republicans, Mitt Romney argued for a more sensible, inclusive GOP. It was obviously a message that the Republican primary voters were not ready for, but by clearly and consistently making a case for a more tolerant, rational GOP, Romney was able to build an installed base of supporters who carried him to victory in the 2016 primary. Romney sensed that his politics were well tuned to Republicans who had grown weary of the culture wars and constant partisan attacks against a popular Democratic President and was able to distinguish himself as a candidate with core values and character.
During the televised debate, Romney garnered boos when he rebuked the eventual nominee, Newt Gingrich, who suggested the President Obama was not fully American, “That is a disgusting sentiment, Mr. Speaker. As a Republican and an American I am appalled at your suggestion. You are talking about the President of the United States.” But that willingness to challenge the extremism that had set in on the right of American politics won him fans across the political spectrum.
Whether or not he beats Ms. Clinton this November, Mitt Romney will be remembered as a statesman and patriot who rose to the challenge when his party desperately needed someone to step up.