Stick around Orrin

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) will host a re-election fundraiser in early January, which raises questions about whether Mitt Romney will run for the U.S. Senate.

Hatch will invite donors to his eighth annual ski fundraiser in early January at the St. Regis Hotel in Park City, Utah, where the suggested donation reaches as high as $5,000 for families.

Hatch’s fundraiser announcement shocked many pundits, who widely expected him to announce his retirement in early 2018 once he and congressional Republicans presumably pass the Republican Tax Cuts and Jobs Act before Christmas. Hatch, as the Senate Finance chairman, played a significant role in passing the Senate tax cut legislation last week.

Sources close to failed presidential candidate Mitt Romney suggested that he would be interested in running for Utah Senate if Sen. Hatch were to retire.

Hatch spokesman Matt Whitlock told CNN that Sen. Hatch will hold the fundraiser regardless of his pending decision.

“Senator Hatch holds this event every year in order to gather longtime political friends and allies in Utah. He will hold the event regardless of his final decision about 2018,” Whitlock said.

Romney’s advisers decided not to comment to CNN; the former Massachusetts governor’s camp said that they will not comment on the Senate race until the Senate Finance chairman decides on his retirement.

Romney jumped into the political fray on Monday in an attempt to undermine Alabama Judge Roy Moore’s campaign, tweeting, “Roy Moore in the US Senate would be a stain on the GOP and on the nation. Leigh Corfman and other victims are courageous heroes. No vote, no majority is worth losing our honor, our integrity.”

Stephen K. Bannon, Breitbart News’s executive chairman and former White House chief strategist, lashed out at Romney at a Roy Moore rally this week.

“Judge Moore is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point,” Bannon said. “Judge Moore served his country in one of the toughest wars we ever had, in Vietnam.”

“That’s honor and integrity, Mitt,” Bannon argued. “And while we’re on the subject of Vietnam and honor and integrity, you avoided service, brother.”

President Donald Trump praised Sen. Hatch’s contribution to his home state and country on Monday; Trump said he hopes Hatch will “continue to serve [his] state and [his] country in the Senate for a very long time to come.”

Chairman Hatch announced on Wednesday that after passing tax reform and other significant legislation, he will discuss with his family his plans for the future.

“In the next few weeks, I believe we are going to have tax reform signed into law, we are going to extend CHIP, and a number of other important things,” Hatch explained. “After that, I plan to spend time with my family to discuss plans for the future. I think I’ll have an announcement sometime after that.”

http://www.breitbart.com/big-g...election-fundraiser/

I'm not a big fan of Hatch but the prospect of Romney being a senator is not good for the Republic....and yes, I voted for him and am ashamed for it.

The last thing we need is to hand another senate seat to a liberal.

Screw Mittens. Can't he just go away already?

I knew Hatch was running again when he introduced Trump here in Ut last week. Me, me, me, I, I, I am great. Look what I've done. Trump is here because of me. Then Trump starts in on how great Hatch is. I knew right then Hatch was in again. He will work the primary and coast through the general again. We won't see nor hear from him for 5 more years after. This will be the first time in my life I vote for a dem.

I am just amazed that Mitt Romney still thinks he's relevant.

Ugh. No, really.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
This will be the first time in my life I vote for a dem.

Is this a protest vote or is there a Dem candidate there you actually support?

quote:

Originally posted by lkdr1989:
I'm not a big fan of Hatch but the prospect of Romney being a senator is not good for the Republic....and yes, I voted for him and am ashamed for it.

We didn’t have much of a choice, I plugged my nose when I voted for him and for McCain oh I also needed anti nausea meds for McCain.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
This will be the first time in my life I vote for a dem.

Would any Utah dem push Trump's tax plan? If you think yes (please give me a name), you need to step back and think again. Maybe third party but a friggin' dem? I live here and can't think of a dem that I would replace Hatch (as much as he sucks) with. We need to do the same thing we did with Bennett. Primary the asshole and take him out before the general election.

Hatch....yuck. I will hold my nose and vote for him. I hate Romney. I have met him and he is an ass. Hatch it is.

More democrats in Utah is the very last thing we need. Never let them get a foothold.

No dem in Utah will win that Senate seat even with my vote.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
No dem in Utah will win that Senate seat even with my vote.

Then let's take the RINO jerk out in the primary. We'll be on the same team

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
No dem in Utah will win that Senate seat even with my vote.

So what's the point in voting Dem? Why not just stay home or vote 3rd party like suggested above?

Never vote for evil. It is a stain on your soul.

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:
Screw Mittens. Can't he just go away already?

Tme is on his side...

I'm not from Utah. How "red" is the state? I've always thought of Utah as a weak red like Florida where I live where we elect Rubio and Astronaut Nelson, or real purple like Colorado.

In so far as I care most about regulatory reform and judges, I'd vote for a monkey in rubber pants before I'd vote for a Dem. If that means voting (in the general, not the primary) for someone who is less conservative than I am, I will do so because at some level, Party is Power.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
I knew Hatch was running again when he introduced Trump here in Ut last week. Me, me, me, I, I, I am great. Look what I've done. Trump is here because of me. Then Trump starts in on how great Hatch is. I knew right then Hatch was in again. He will work the primary and coast through the general again. We won't see nor hear from him for 5 more years after.

This will be the first time in my life I vote for a dem.

Shame on you.

I suppose you are a Never-Trumper too.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
I knew Hatch was running again when he introduced Trump here in Ut last week. Me, me, me, I, I, I am great. Look what I've done. Trump is here because of me. Then Trump starts in on how great Hatch is. I knew right then Hatch was in again. He will work the primary and coast through the general again. We won't see nor hear from him for 5 more years after.

This will be the first time in my life I vote for a dem.

Shame on you.

I suppose you are a Never-Trumper too.

Lol nope. I gladly voted for Trump and defend him whenever I can. I'll make you a promise. If it looks like the demo might win, I'll hold my nose again and vote for Hatch. But I may need a long shower afterward.