Sen. Orrin Hatch retiring at end of term

[K1052]

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/02/hatch-announces-retirement-320133

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the longest-serving Republican senator, announced Tuesday he will retire at the end of the year. The move opens the door to a likely run for the Utah seat by former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

“Every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves. And for me, that time is soon approaching," said the 83-year-old senator, who was first elected in 1976, in a video announcement. "That’s why after much prayer and discussion with family and friends, I’ve decided to retire at the end of this term.”

Clears the way for a Mitt Romney run in Utah. Another in a series of political setbacks for Trump who had pushed Hatch hard to run again.

 

[dank69]

Got that tax cut, time to die and leave millions to his kids.

 

[K1052]

I do have to say I hope this reverse political Midas Touch thing Trump's got going on continues for the next 3 years.

 

[imported_tajmahal]

Not a big setback, especially since they are on pretty good terms after Romney's consideration for Sec. of State.


http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-brief...romney-confirms-he-wont-be-secretary-of-state


"Mitt Romney confirmed he won't become secretary of State Monday night, thanking Donald Trump for the opportunity to be considered in a Facebook post.

The 2012 GOP presidential nominee posted about the position Monday night on Facebook, saying, "It was an honor to have been considered for Secretary of State of our great country."

 

[Fanatical Meat]

And Trump "begged" him to stay, per a CNN article and another link I saw. Funny how Trump was begging. This may be Romney's moment.
For the record he wasn't a bad Governor, he would say anything to appease people in a very mini Trump way but overall i had no problems with him as Governor.
I didn't like the totally different Romney who ran for President however it appears he was right about Russia, Mitt I apologize for laughing at you back then. You were right and I was wrong.

 

[Moonbeam]

One disease likely to be replaced by another. Question? Who is the bigger dick? The person who praised our glorious leader of somebody honored by him as worthy of sec of state? One turd looks very much like another to me.

 

[K1052]

Not a big setback, especially since they are on pretty good terms after Romney's consideration for Sec. of State.

lol

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Not a big setback, especially since they are on pretty good terms after Romney's consideration for Sec. of State.


http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-brief...romney-confirms-he-wont-be-secretary-of-state


"Mitt Romney confirmed he won't become secretary of State Monday night, thanking Donald Trump for the opportunity to be considered in a Facebook post.

The 2012 GOP presidential nominee posted about the position Monday night on Facebook, saying, "It was an honor to have been considered for Secretary of State of our great country."

That was before the "there are good people on both sides" nazi march thing. I'm pretty certain Mitt has been critical of Trump since then.
Regardless, I trust Mitt much more than Hatch if anything huge turns up from the suspected Russia stuff.

 

[imported_tajmahal]

Any chance of a Romney run in 2020? What about 2024, since the Democrats seem to love him so much.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Any chance of a Romney run in 2020? What about 2024, since the Democrats seem to love him so much.

Who knows maybe Trump will have a primary challenger. Mitt did state he won't run again (I think) but Mitt does flip flop pretty frequently

 

[imported_tajmahal]

Who knows maybe Trump will have a primary challenger. Mitt did state he won't run again (I think) but Mitt does flip flop pretty frequently

It's OK with me, i'll be happy to vote for whoever wins. In fact i've voted for both of them before.

 

[vi edit]

Any chance of a Romney run in 2020? What about 2024, since the Democrats seem to love him so much.

Historically doing a primary against the incumbent isn't a winning ticket. Worst case I'd see Trump bowing out in 2020 and giving Pence the endorsement. Then Mitt would have to primary him. It'd be a long and expensive campaign for both of them. Don't know how much fight Mitt has in him. He's already 70 (although a pretty healthy looking 70).

 

[Commodus]

For reference, people on the left don't really "like" Romney (this is the guy who made that false 47% claim, after all) so much as prefer that the Republicans include more people with actual spines, who don't just get down on their knees and fellate Trump in hopes of gaining power. Romney isn't exactly a champion of the working class, but he's infinitely better than craven opportunists like Hatch.

 

[K1052]

Historically doing a primary against the incumbent isn't a winning ticket. Worst case I'd see Trump bowing out in 2020 and giving Pence the endorsement. Then Mitt would have to primary him. It'd be a long and expensive campaign for both of them. Don't know how much fight Mitt has in him. He's already 70 (although a pretty healthy looking 70).

I think Mitt will be very comfortable with just a Senate term or two. His approval in UT is like 70% (even 50%ish among Dems) so he should be able to pretty much walk into the office.

 

[HomerJS]

First sign Mitt is running. He will come out against the tax cut.

 

[Jhhnn]

Not a big setback, especially since they are on pretty good terms after Romney's consideration for Sec. of State.


http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-brief...romney-confirms-he-wont-be-secretary-of-state


"Mitt Romney confirmed he won't become secretary of State Monday night, thanking Donald Trump for the opportunity to be considered in a Facebook post.

The 2012 GOP presidential nominee posted about the position Monday night on Facebook, saying, "It was an honor to have been considered for Secretary of State of our great country."

That's nice-speak for "I wouldn't touch that deal with a pole".

 

[imported_tajmahal]

Historically doing a primary against the incumbent isn't a winning ticket. Worst case I'd see Trump bowing out in 2020 and giving Pence the endorsement. Then Mitt would have to primary him. It'd be a long and expensive campaign for both of them. Don't know how much fight Mitt has in him. He's already 70 (although a pretty healthy looking 70).

I hope I look that good at 70.
We both may agree that Trump has changed the political landscape and what might not have been possible 20 years ago may be politically possible now.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Historically doing a primary against the incumbent isn't a winning ticket. Worst case I'd see Trump bowing out in 2020 and giving Pence the endorsement. Then Mitt would have to primary him. It'd be a long and expensive campaign for both of them. Don't know how much fight Mitt has in him. He's already 70 (although a pretty healthy looking 70).

I hope I look that good at 70.
We both may agree that Trump has changed the political landscape and what might not have been possible 20 years ago may be politically possible now.

For some unknown reason Mormon's are always good to great at everything they do. Apparently that includes aging.

 

[vi edit]

I hope I look that good at 70.
We both may agree that Trump has changed the political landscape and what might not have been possible 20 years ago may be politically possible now.

Honest truth, I had *NO* idea Mitt was that old. I wouldn't have put him a day past 60. I was a bit shocked when I looked up his age. I never paid attention to how old he was when he ran in 2012.

 

[Puffnstuff]

Mitt Romney won't be any better and will obey his Mormon masters who have even more bizarre beliefs than Pence.

 

[Engineer]

Read that another GOP Representative is also calling it quits after this term. Seems like a lot lately but to be honest, I haven't kept track in previous cycles of how many incumbents retire / quit before an election. Is this amount normal this year? Higher? Lower?

Just curious.....

 

[ch33zw1z]

I hope I look that good at 70.
We both may agree that Trump has changed the political landscape and what might not have been possible 20 years ago may be politically possible now.

Obama getting elected changed the landscape, now we get Trump....cuz reasons.

 

[Jhhnn]

Buh-bye, Orrin. We're gonna miss you. And that stick up your ass, too.

 

[kage69]

Good riddance to that POS.

 

[Commodus]

Read that another GOP Representative is also calling it quits after this term. Seems like a lot lately but to be honest, I haven't kept track in previous cycles of how many incumbents retire / quit before an election. Is this amount normal this year? Higher? Lower?

Just curious.....

Some of it is expected, especially with older politicians like Hatch. If you were 83, wouldn't you want to bow out at the end of your term? It's the younger ones that are worth focusing on. Some of them are "I got want I wanted, I'm out," but in other cases it seems like they see the writing on the wall and want out before they're voted out.