Romney commended his Republican and Democratic colleagues in the U.S. Senate for their camaraderie and efforts.

In his farewell speech to the Senate on Wednesday, Senator Mitt Romney called his time serving as Utah’s senator “an honor” and thanked his fellow senators, both Democrats and Republicans, for their camaraderie.

Romney, 77, stated, “I have been surprised by how much I like the other senators, on both sides of the aisle.”

During his only six-year term in the Senate, Romney was instrumental in negotiating bipartisan legislation and was praised by his peers for his moral character and ability to accomplish goals. Approximately two dozen senators from both parties attended Romney’s speech on Wednesday morning, and a number of them publicly thanked him.

Romney’s “uncompromising honesty, earnest humility, and evident devotion to faith” were commended by Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, according to the report. Democratic Senator Cory Booker referred to him as a “great American patriot.” Additionally, independent Senator Joe Manchin claimed that his friendship with Romney has made him “a better person.”

In response, Romney centered a large portion of his speech on the individuals who have influenced both his professional and personal lives. He asked that the names of his former campaign and Senate office staffers, political advisers, and business associates be added to the Senate record and thanked them individually. He called his wife Ann his “love of my life,” his “indefatigable ally,” and his “most trusted adviser.”

Ann was present, sitting with three of their sons, Ben, Josh, and Matt, in the upper gallery. They were joined by a number of Romney grandchildren. Benches on the chamber floor were occupied by Romney’s Senate staff.

Romney attributed his success to his fellow senators. Romney acknowledged that he was “mostly on my own, and thus mostly unproductive” for the first few months of his time in the U.S. Senate. He recounted how in late 2020, socially isolated, windows open, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, invited him to join a group of senators for a COVID-19-style dinner at her home. “Bridging the impasse between the President and Congress on COVID relief” was the task, he stated. They put together a COVID-19 relief package by December 2020, which President Donald Trump signed into law.

Murkowski, Manchin, Rob Portman, Kyrsten Sinema, Susan Collins, Mark Warner, Jon Tester, Bill Cassidy, and Jeanne Shaheen were among the ten senators who later played a crucial role in negotiating bipartisan legislation on marriage, infrastructure, electoral reform, and gun safety.

Romney stated, “Each of us came to Washington to pass laws that would benefit people, and that’s exactly what we did.” “What we could never have done alone, we achieved together.”

Romney stated that he “will very much miss you, my fellow senators, for among you are some brilliant, some entertaining, some kind and generous and all patriotic,” even though he will not miss certain parts of the Senate, such as “meaningful” and “inconsequential” votes. “Being able to serve alongside you is an honor.”

The audience at Sen. Mitt Romney’s farewell speech on Wednesday, which marked the end of his six-year term, was a fitting representation of Romney’s legacy. More than a dozen Democrats were present, along with the majority of the senators from the original “Group of Ten,” led by Murkowski. As Romney entered the chamber, Booker, the former Democratic presidential candidate, embraced him. Following Romney’s comments, a number of senators came up to shake his hand or give him a hug.

From the Senate floor, Sen.-elect John Curtis, who will succeed Romney in January, observed the speech. Romney’s Utah colleague, Senator Mike Lee, did not show up.

In a subsequent written statement to the Deseret News, Lee expressed gratitude to Sen. Romney for his many years of public service. “I know that his family will appreciate the chance to spend more time with him, and I wish him the best of luck in all of his future pursuits.”

Romney praised Utah’s citizens in his speech, stating that “the admirable character of its people, not just its beauty and vibrant economy, is what sets the state apart.” He admitted that he “did not achieve everything I had hoped,” but he said he leaves Washington “with a sense of achievement.” He identified the national debt as a persistent problem.

“The plague of partisan politics has thwarted numerous attempts to stabilize our national debt, among other things,” he stated. Our “national credit card is nearly maxed out, and America risks becoming debt-poor,” he cautioned.

Romney concluded his speech by condemning those who “would tear at our unity, who would replace love with hate, who deride our foundation of virtue, or who debase the values upon which the blessings of heaven depend.”

“A nation’s character is a reflection of its people as well as its elected officials,” he added. “God will continue to bless America only if the American people deserve his kindness, so I leave Washington to return and be one of them, hoping to be a voice of unity and virtue.” His colleagues gave Romney a standing ovation for his remarks.