'Sound of Freedom' Inspiration Tim Ballard Mulls Run for Sen. Romney’s Seat

Tim Ballard, a former Department of Homeland Security special agent and founder of Operation Underground Railroad, speaks during an interview in Washington on June 21, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Tim Ballard, the former employee for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who rescued young Columbian siblings and others trafficked for child prostitution, revealed on Sept. 15 that he is "very seriously considering" a run for the U.S. Senate in Utah to replace retiring Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah).

Mr. Ballard announced his interest in running for the 76-year-old Republican's seat during an appearance on "The Sean Spicer Show," pointing out that he had been approached by numerous "very influential people" who asked him whether he would consider running for Congress.

"'Sound of Freedom' took out any opportunity for me to ever be an operator again. Those days are done, they know my face," Mr. Ballard said. "But starting several weeks ago, I've been asked by a lot of very influential people, names you would even know, asking me to throw in."

The movie "Sound of Freedom" is a high-grossing drama/action film from Utah-based production company Angel Studios that tells a story based on Mr. Ballard's life, portrayed by actor Jim Caviezel, as he goes on a mission to rescue children from child sex traffickers and sex slavery in Columbia.

Jim Caviezel (L), actor in the new human trafficking action film "Sound of Freedom," and Tim Ballard (R), a former Department of Homeland Security special agent and founder of Operation Underground Railroad. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Mr. Ballard noted that he was asked to run for Congress even before Mr. Romney announced on Sept. 13 that he wouldn't seek a second term, citing a desire to allow a new generation to "step up" while also indicating that another term would take him into his 80s and would likely be less productive and less gratifying than the current term.

"Even before Sen. Romney announced his retirement, a lot of things were building up to this consideration. I was with the president of Honduras last week, and the president of Guatemala last week, and I was just listening to them in their plight, in their tears, over the plight of their people because of our border policies," Mr. Ballard said.

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"We're talking about millions of people being affected by forms of slavery because of the wind that our policies put into the sails of child traffickers," he continued. "And I thought, there has to be something done—more done—at the federal level. So it just kept building and building and building."

"At the same time that's happening, I'm getting phone calls from people [saying]; 'Hey, I think you got to throw in now,' he added, explaining that he got word Mr. Romney retired while testifying before the Homeland Security Committee in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives this week.

He was one of four witnesses who appeared at a hearing on what the committee described as "the devastating human costs of the Biden–Mayorkas border crisis."

Mr. Romney ending his two-decade political career "took that level of deep thought" to the next level, Mr. Ballard said, adding that he was already "very seriously" considering a U.S. Senate run even before the 2012 GOP presidential nominee's departure.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) at a Senate Homeland Security hearing on April 9, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

"I was very seriously considering it then. And now, I'll be honest, even more, very, very seriously considering," the former DHS agent expressed.

So far, the only declared Republican candidate to run for Mr. Romney's seat is Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, who launched his bid for the seat in late May. Others, including former U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), are also seen as possible contenders for the Republican nomination.

"Now is the time to give Utah the conservative champion they have long deserved," Mr. Staggs told the Washington Examiner shortly after Mr. Romney announced his retirement. "We need America First warriors in the Senate, and I plan to give that to Utah."

Republicans currently have a minority of 49 seats in the 100-seat Senate, but hope to flip control of the upper chamber in the upcoming election. The party has to defend just 11 seats, compared to 23 for Democrats, and is especially targeting seats held by Democrats in red states such as the seat held by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).

From NTD News