A bit of breaking news to start the new year: Capitol Hill is just shocked, shocked(!) to discover a new member of Congress unwilling to blindly endorse everything the president does.

This revelation comes courtesy of incoming Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who, one day before taking the oath of office, declined to pledge allegiance to President Trump. After condemning the leader of his party for failing to rise “to the mantle of the office,” the Utah Republican promised in a Washington Post op-ed to be clear-eyed.

“I will act as I would with any president, in or out of my party: I will support policies that I believe are in the best interest of the country and my state, and oppose those that are not,” Romney wrote. “I do not intend to comment on every tweet or fault. But I will speak out against significant statements or actions that are divisive, racist, sexist, anti-immigrant, dishonest or destructive to democratic institutions.”

Some on the right condemned this as sabotage, and Republican party officials floated a rule change to keep Romney from mounting a 2020 challenge against Trump. Others on the left called it bravery and immediately began daydreaming of all the things another anti-Trump voice in the Senate might say.

But honestly it was mostly just business as usual.

Sorry to disappoint anyone who hasn’t run around cross-examining politicians for the last two years. Romney offered up more boilerplate available at all hours on Capitol Hill.

Republican politicians don’t exactly enjoy talking about the president. They follow the news closely until he says something controversial, then they haven’t seen the tweets. They love to be in front of the cameras until sensational news breaks out of the White House, then they want to focus on substance. They regularly regurgitate some variation of the I’m-focusing-on-policy-not-politics excuse.

The criticism that Romney did offer was more significant. It just wasn’t unique. Both outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-K.Y., have criticized Trump on his policy and his politics. Maybe not as much as some have wanted. But plenty.

This comes as a surprise to Ronna McDaniel, who apparently thinks any criticism is out of bounds. The chairwoman of the Republican National Committee said the op-ed was “unproductive.” The niece of Romney said the op-ed was “disappointing.”

POTUS is attacked and obstructed by the MSM media and Democrats 24/7. For an incoming Republican freshman senator to attack @realdonaldtrump as their first act feeds into what the Democrats and media want and is disappointing and unproductive. https://t.co/ArhI7Bi7bo — Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) January 2, 2019



Blind fealty is unproductive, and the elevation of political tribalism over republican obligation is disappointing. Romney holds office in a coequal branch of the government. He has a duty to the Constitution that supersedes any responsibility to a party.

And isn’t that the design of divided government anyway? Branches check and politicians balance themselves out. Early Wednesday morning, there was evidence that Romney’s independent overture may have accomplished something almost miraculous: Trump fired off a tweet, uncharacteristically lacking in ad hominem and focused on policy.