Utah Senator Mitt Romney was the sole Republican to vote to convict President Donald Trump of abuse of power. It was not an easy decision for him to make.
NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd told Boston Public Radio on Thursday the personal impacts of Romney's decision will be painful.
"His life is going to be threatened, his family is going to get harassed. I don't think folks fully appreciate what he has done to himself short term," he said. "Long term, I think that's what he was thinking about. ... But, this is some short term pain and not just for him."
Politically, Todd said he provided vulnerable Democrats cover in their home districts, as they can now argue impeachment was not entirely a partisan matter.
"He guaranteed the Democrats stuck together. ... In some way, Romney was cover for them."
