Utah's Bennett (probably) faces primary fight

The Politicio ^ | March 23, 2009 | Alex Isenstadt

[Clintonfatigued]

Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) is not entangled in scandal, he’s never shown a hint of vulnerability and there’s no Democrat on the horizon who’s poised to knock him out of his Senate seat.

Nevertheless, he could be in jeopardy in 2010.

Bennett’s problem is the Republican primary. State Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, who won election to a third term in November with 70 percent of the vote, told POLITICO in an interview that he’s leaning toward challenging Bennett and may make an announcement as soon as this week. Many Utah Republican insiders say they expect Shurtleff to take the plunge — and if he does, Bennett could find himself in a tough race.

“It’s a very real challenge to Bennett,” said LaVarr Webb, a longtime state GOP strategist. “He could be in real trouble.”

And Shurtleff isn’t the only prospective Republican challenger. Former Juab County Attorney David Leavitt — the brother of former Utah governor and Bush administration Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt — and Mike Lee, a former legal counsel to Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman, have also been mentioned as possible candidates.

While Bennett has won reelection by landslide margins since first winning the seat in 1992, he’s also managed to alienate some conservatives back home on a handful of high-profile issues. In 2005, he opposed a constitutional amendment banning flag burning — an effort spearheaded by his home-state GOP colleague Sen. Orrin G. Hatch. A year later, he was a vocal supporter of then-President George W. Bush’s push for comprehensive immigration reform.

But it was Bennett’s Wall Street bailout vote last fall that served as the final straw for conservatives who argue that he’s become another big-spending Washington insider.

[Clintonfatigued]

Bennett should have retired. Too many of these career politicians stick around even when their retention only serves to hold back new conservative leaders.

[St. Louis Conservative]

Bennett and Hatch are both not nearly as conservative as the Utah. We could get two Jim DeMints or Tom Coburns out of that state; instead we’re stuck with a couple of Washingtonian “compassionate conservative” Republicans.

[truth_seeker]

“Bennett and Hatch are both not nearly as conservative as the Utah. We could get two Jim DeMints or Tom Coburns out of that state; instead we’re stuck with a couple of Washingtonian “compassionate conservative” Republicans.”

I expect the stupid party will have a bunch of infighting, and get one democrat!!

[St. Louis Conservative]

Nah. Utah is a state where the Republicans would have to have a MAJOR screw up to elect a Dem. Remember in 1992, Bill Clinton came in third behind Bush & Perot in the general election.

[Ann Archy]

Is he MORMON? If not, he can forget it.

[Vigilanteman]

Orin Hatch was a firebrand when he was first elected. I remember that he pulled in a couple of moderate democrats to filibuster a forced unionization bill back in the Jimmy Carter era. He’s just been in Washington too long. A few (like the late Jesse Helms) get better with age. But they are the exceptions to the rule. Too many get more interested in making nice and getting along with the enemy. McCain is definitely in that category. Bennett and Hatch certainly seem to be as well.

[Arizona Carolyn]

They ALL need to be retired. Did you see the vote today for S277, Kennedy Hatch Service Ammendment? All but 14 voted for it.

[Impy]

Sounds like step one in the Ayres/Obama 21st century slavery plan.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

This is symbolic of what is wrong with GOP leadership:

“A year later, he was a vocal supporter of then-President George W. Bush’s push for comprehensive immigration reform.”

“But it was Bennett’s Wall Street bailout vote last fall that served as the final straw for conservatives who argue that he’s become another big-spending Washington insider.”

[Impy]

I hope Shurtleff makes the primary challenge. Utah can do better.