SANDY, utah — Utah Republicans denied U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch a clear path to a seventh and final term Saturday, forcing the 78-year-old lawmaker into a June primary with 37-year-old former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist.
Hatch fell short of the nomination by fewer than three dozen votes from the nearly 4,000 delegates at the party convention.
In a matter of weeks, Hatch turned the question of whether he would survive the convention into a question of whether he would reach the 60 percent threshold to earn the nomination. Despite the setback, Hatch holds a significant fundraising edge in what has become the stiffest challenge since his election to the Senate in 1976. The eventual Republican nominee will be the heavy favorite in November because of the GOP dominance in Utah.
“A few months ago, a lot of people weren’t giving me a chance. So I feel good. I consider it a victory with everything that happened in the past,” Hatch said.
He urged that delegates endorse him so he can help repeal President Barack Obama’s health care law and potentially lead the powerful Senate Finance Committee if Republicans regain control of the chamber. Hatch argued that he was only one candidate who had the ability to enact the GOP’s priorities from Day One of the next congressional session.
“I’m a tough old bird, and I’ve never felt more eager,” he said.
But Liljenquist said that Hatch’s seniority was overrated and said that he was ready to work with freshmen Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Rand Paul of Kentucky in changing how the Senate works.
“It is time for a new generation of leaders. We know it to our bones,” Liljenquist said shortly after the results were announced.
