Mitt Romney Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Toobin: McConnell engaging in 'greatest act of hypocrisy in American political history' with Ginsburg replacement vote The Memo: Court battle explodes across tense election landscape MORE, after announcing his Republican bid for Senate in Utah, called for “action” following the Florida high school shooting that left 17 dead.

Romney called the shooting “senseless, debased evil.”

“I think we can’t just sit and wait and hope for things to get better,” the former GOP presidential candidate said, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. “It is wrong and unacceptable for children in our schools to fear for their lives.”

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“We must take action to prevent this again,” he said. He suggested he would support improving a federal database for firearms background checks, according to the Tribune.

He said most reform should happen at the state and local level, however, rather than federal. As possible solutions, he named increased law enforcement resources and better facility security, according to the Tribune.

Romney also signaled that as a senator he would not be an automatic vote for President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE’s agenda.

“Utah welcomes legal immigrants from around the world. Washington sends immigrants a message of exclusion,” he said, according to Reuters.

Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential candidate, has become a prominent Trump critic over the last year.

Romney, in an expected move, announced his Senate bid on Friday after delaying one day due to the Wednesday shooting.