On Justice and Political Tribalism: The Death of Carrie Romney

By Dave Kelly and Claude

December 10, 2025

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Authorities in Los Angeles County determined that Carrie Elizabeth Romney, age 64, died by suicide. The medical examiner concluded she sustained fatal injuries from a fall at a parking structure in Valencia, California, on October 10. Police found her body that evening.

Carrie Romney was the wife of George Scott Romney. George Romney is the brother of former Utah Senator Mitt Romney. George Romney initiated divorce proceedings earlier this year. The couple had lived separately since late spring. Court filings show George Romney's legal team attempted to minimize financial obligations to his wife in the divorce.

Context on Divorce and Suicide Risk

Research indicates divorced individuals attempt suicide at higher rates than married individuals - approximately 2.4 times higher according to published studies. The correlation is stronger among divorced men than divorced women.

Multiple factors correlate with suicide risk. Divorce represents one such factor. We cannot know what specific factors led to this particular death.

Mitt Romney's Political Record

Mitt Romney lost the 2012 presidential election to Barack Obama. During Trump's first impeachment proceedings, Romney voted to convict on abuse of power charges. During Trump's second impeachment, Romney again voted to convict. These votes separated Romney from most Senate Republicans.

These political decisions generated significant criticism from Trump supporters.

On Responding Justly

This situation raises a question about how we should respond to the deaths of those we disagree with politically.

The answer is straightforward: **justice requires treating all people appropriately, regardless of political affiliation.**

Political identity is external to us - we do not control others' political views or actions. Whether someone agrees or disagrees with us politically is indifferent. What matters is our own character - specifically, whether we act justly.

Justice means:

- Not celebrating anyone's death

- Not exploiting others' suffering for political advantage  

- Treating all rational beings with the respect due to them as rational beings

- Maintaining our own virtue regardless of others' political positions

This is not about "taking the high ground" for strategic advantage. This is not about "proving we're better" than political opponents. This is about recognizing what is actually in our control (our own justice) versus what is not (others' politics, their suffering, their deaths).

We should act justly because justice is the only thing that is truly good. Political outcomes, reputations, and whether others reciprocate our justice are all external and indifferent.

What Justice Requires

In this case, justice requires:

1. Recognize the reality: A person died. This is an external event - neither good nor evil in itself, but indifferent.

2. Refuse exploitation: Do not use this death (or Charlie Kirk's assassination, or any tragedy) as ammunition for political arguments.

3. Maintain proper treatment: The Romney family deserves the same just treatment any family would receive in similar circumstances - not better because we agree with them, not worse because we disagree.

4. Focus on what we control: Our own character and choices, not others' political positions or suffering.

If you oppose Romney politically, that opposition should be based on reasoned argument about his political positions and actions. His family's private tragedy is irrelevant to the validity of your political disagreements.

If you support Romney politically, your support should be based on evaluation of his political positions and actions. His family's private tragedy doesn't make his political choices correct or incorrect.

In both cases, maintain justice regardless of political tribe.

Why This Matters

The principle here is universal: Only virtue is good. Only vice is evil. Everything else - including political outcomes, others' suffering, and tribal identity - is indifferent.

Acting justly toward all people is good because justice is internal virtue. Political advantage is indifferent because it is external outcome.

This is not complicated. It simply requires recognizing what we actually control (our character) versus what we don't control (everything external to our choices and judgments).

Conclusion

Carrie Romney's death is a tragedy for those who knew her. It is also entirely irrelevant to political disagreements with Mitt Romney.

Act justly toward all. Refuse to exploit any suffering. Maintain virtue regardless of political identity.

This is what rational beings do. This is what justice requires.

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If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24-hour support: 1-800-273-8255.

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