All Discussion
DISCUSSION
 
D:1RP ( 5508.02 points)May 25, 2017 11:30am
UtahPolicy.com has been told by various sources that U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, is leaning against running for re-election in 2018, and will likely retire. The second part of the rumor is that Mitt Romney is very likely to seek Hatch’s seat. - [Link]
 
I:9626Bojicat ( 912.46 points)May 25, 2017 12:05pm
Heard this news enough times, and there are never denials. Inclined to think it's for real this time. Romney becomes the instant favorite for the seat, when Hatch (finally) announces his retirement.
 
D:1RP ( 5508.02 points)May 25, 2017 02:43pm
Ah, Romney. Starting a Senate career at age 71.
 
I:9626Bojicat ( 912.46 points)May 26, 2017 12:39pm
True. He's a voracious political animal. Can't control himself. Maybe he'll use the Senate's perch for a sort-of Nixon-style, run-for-president comeback? (BTW, hope we could all look as good as he does at age 71).
 
R:7114Kyle ( 709.19 points)February 18, 2018 10:45pm
John Dougall has absolutely no political following in the State of Utah, he endorsed Johnathan Johnson (who got destroyed) over Governor Herbert, and he honestly wouldn't even be a serious candidate in a wide open governors race. It is laughable that he would pull of a significant challenge against Mitt Romney. At best, he could hope to score 30%.

Ultimately though, why would he run? Romney forces will take over the Utah GOP and it would just hurt his reelection (if he chose to run.)

He's just looking for a little press coverage, but he's no more of a threat to Romney than I would be
 
D:1RP ( 5508.02 points)February 25, 2018 08:36pm
If former U.S. GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney continues gathering signatures as part of his U.S. Senate run this year, he may well be kicked out of the Utah Republican Party via a bylaw change adopted Saturday over the objections of party chairman Rob Anderson. - [Link]
 
D:1989RBH ( 5260.33 points)March 15, 2018 10:45pm
Yeah, i'd be surprised if any candidate other than Romney or Kennedy gets multiple votes at the convention
 
R:7114Kyle ( 709.19 points)April 21, 2018 09:41am
I’m hearing the convention could be a rough go for Romney. Sparse attendance at caucuses could mean anything, but it usually implies the far right hacks will be heavily represented. The disconnect between delegates and primary voters is terrible: Herbert lost the convention in 2016 but won the primary by 44, Bennett would have won the primary by double digits but lost at the convention, and Congressman Curtis took sixth at the convention but won the primary by 12.

The national media inevitably will cast a Romney loss as a doomsday scenario, but perspective on Utah politics would tell us that it literally means NOTHING.

Final prediction, though:
First Ballot-
Romney: 50%
Kennedy 30%
Meyers: 15%
Others: 5%

Second Ballot:
Romney: 52%
Kennedy: 48%
 
R:7114Kyle ( 709.19 points)April 21, 2018 11:09am
There are some tense exchanges with Mitt so far.
 
R:7114Kyle ( 709.19 points)April 21, 2018 08:49pm
Nothing surprising. Extreme Utah delegates vote one way, the primary will vote overwhelmingly a different way. This system is a dying system and hopefully get the final stab in its heart in November.
 
D:1989RBH ( 5260.33 points)April 21, 2018 09:04pm
it was sorta fun to skim through the Facebook Live video of the convention to find the vote totals that seemingly nobody on Twitter thought of posting
 
Joker:9757BrentinCO ( 7748.48 points)April 24, 2018 08:37pm
Kyle: Nothing surprising. Extreme Utah delegates vote one way, the primary will vote overwhelmingly a different way. This system is a dying system and hopefully get the final stab in its heart in November.

The caucuases are the same in Colorado. Most extreme elements of both parties. I don’t think ours are going away as there are two ways to get on the primary balllot, one through the parties (caucuses and assmebly) and one through government (petitions)