Ogden, Utah is approximately 45 minutes from Salt Lake City, but that didn’t keep Lauren Lund from traveling to join in a rally applauding Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) for his vote to convict President Donald Trump. (Romney also becomes the first senator in history to vote for the removal of a president of his or her own party, according to multiple sources.)

“I’m so grateful to Mitt Romney,” Lund said passionately, expressing gratitude that Utah has a senator who would vote to convict Trump in this “disturbing time.”

Ralliers met at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in downtown Salt Lake City.

Mitt Romney announces that he will vote to convict President Donald Trump. (photo credit: Senate Television via AP)

Among them was Patrice Margetts, who said she would work to help Romney’s campaign if his vote means that his re-election is in jeopardy.

“If he has that strength of character, we want him in there,” Margetts said.

Rallier Dixie Huefner pointed out that Romney’s vote “comes out of his deep faith.” Romney said in his speech that he is “profoundly religious.”

“My promise before God to apply impartial justice required that I put my personal feelings and biases aside,” Romney said. “Were I to ignore the evidence that has been presented, and disregard what I believe my oath and the Constitution demands of me for the sake of a partisan end, it would, I fear, expose my character to history’s rebuke and the censure of my own conscience.”

“Does anyone seriously believe that I would consent to these consequences other than from an inescapable conviction that my oath before God demanded it?” Romney asked.

Margetts said that the Senate’s overall vote to acquit Trump means that the United States “flipped” from a democratic Republic to a “kleptocracy,” which is government by those who seek chiefly status and personal gain at the expense of the governed, according to Merriam-Webster.

Bonnie Mitchell, who runs social media for the grassroots group Salt Lake Indivisible, said that someone told her in California that she has newfound respect for Utah in light of Romney’s vote.

“A single Republican has balls and he’s from Utah,” Mitchell was told.

Dixie Huefner’s husband Bob Huefner said that Romney’s father George Romney would be rather proud of him.

Huefner, saying she was there to thank Romney for his “act of courage” and “act of conscience,” said that moderate Republicans should get strength from Romney.

“It’s just disgraceful that Trump has so many people intimidated,” Dixie Huefner said.

Joanne Slotnik, the leader of Salt Lake Indivisible and one of the rally organizers, said that the state Romney represents in Utah “has always been considered this values state.” Also, Romney was considered a flip-flopper when running for president but showed a “spine of steel” in his conviction vote, Slotnik said.

“He’s an American first and he did the right thing,” Slotnik said.

Slotnik said that Romney could politically afford to break ranks with his party.

“He’s 72 years old,” Slotnik said. “He’s got nothing to lose.”

Slotnik added: “It’s hard to stand up for what’s right all the time.”

Margetts also said: “Our congresspeople are a disgrace to our nation. The Republicans have abandoned their duties. Except for Mitt. It is a travesty.”

Margett’s husband Jeffrey Margetts said: “The Senate is a disgrace.”

Amelia Margetts said the impeachment trial of Trump “is not about winners and losers.”