Mitt Romney has certainly been off the Republican reservation more than once. But a man with a lifetime American Conservative Union rating of 77 percent can not exactly be called a leftist, a liberal, or even a communist?Or can he?

He can these days in the Republican Party if he has ever, and Romney has, failed to kowtow to the Trump cult of personality prevalent amongst the dimmer bulbs in the party. A political party is supposed be about a set of ideas, not fanatical, senseless, and blind loyalty to one man no matter who he is. Now those who indulge in that idolatry are taking Romney to task for voting yea on the Trump impeachment.

Was Romney’s vote wrong, given the evidence? Yes. But calling him, amongst other things, a communist is absurd. Those who do it not only prove their own stupidity and ignorance, they make Romney look good in comparison. Here’s an example of the process in Utah.

Jennifer Harper in the Washington Times: “Sen. Mitt Romney was lustily booed by the more than 2,100 Republican delegates who packed into the Maverik Center on Saturday for the party’s state convention,’ reported The Salt Lake Tribune in the aftermath.

“There was ‘a chorus of catcalls’ from a crowd vexed by Mr. Romney’s two votes to impeach former President Donald Trump, despite the fact that a resolution to censure the senator for those votes failed on 798-711 vote, according to the Utah Republican Party. The senator’s encounter with this hostile, lustily booing audience has greater implications, however. It is an indicator that Mr. Trump ‘is cementing his grip on the GOP and exacting revenge on those Republicans who supported his impeachment,’ writes Politico analyst Tara Palmeri.

“According to The Salt Lake Tribune account, ‘accusations that Romney was a ‘traitor’ or ‘communist’ flew from the crowd like so many poison darts. The cacophony of disapproval only ended after outgoing party chair Derek Brown scolded delegates to ‘show respect’ for Romney. Mr. Romney, however, insisted he was ‘an old fashioned Republican’ which also drew an angry response.

“You can boo all you like. I’ve been a Republican all of my life. My dad was the governor of Michigan and I was the Republican nominee for president in 2012,’ Mr. Romney reminded his audience.” But that meant nothing to the Trumpists in the crowd. They were out for blood and they almost got it. That setback, losing the censure vote, must have added to their loutish ire.

As Trump continues to be defeated in some intramural contests in even conservative places like Utah, his swinish hordes will become angrier. When they win certain of those bouts, as they will, they will get more arrogant. That combination does not bode well for the party if Trump decides to run in 2024.