2012 United States Senate election in Utah

Background

Orrin Hatch won re-election to a sixth term after winning 62.4% of the vote against Pete Ashdown in the 2006 U.S. senatorial election in Utah. Tea Party activists targeted Hatch for a primary challenge, similar to the victory of Mike Lee over Bob Bennett in the 2010 election.{{cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/orrin-hatch-faces-tea-party-ac.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608220127/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/orrin-hatch-faces-tea-party-ac.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 8, 2012|title=Orrin Hatch courts tea party activists, Tea Party Express divided

Republican nomination

Convention

Candidates

Declared

• Tim Aalders, radio talk show host and former business manager
• Dale Ash, retired sales manager
• Arlan Brunson, small business owner
• David Chiu
• Kevin Fisk, small business owner
• Jeremy Friedbaum, small business owner and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010
• Orrin Hatch, incumbent U.S. Senator
• Chris Herrod, state representative
• William "Dub" Lawrence
• Dan Liljenquist, former state senator

Declined

• Jason Chaffetz, U.S. representative
• Jon Huntsman, Jr., former Ambassador to China, former Governor of Utah, former Ambassador to Singapore and candidate for President in 2012
• David Kirkham, co-founder of the Utah tea party
• Morgan Philpot, former state representative and 2010 congressional candidate
• Mark Shurtleff, Utah Attorney General

Campaign

In 2006, incumbent Orrin Hatch won re-election to a sixth term. In 2008, Chaffetz defeated the incumbent Republican U.S. Representative, Chris Cannon, in the 2008 primary for Utah's 3rd congressional district. In 2010, Mike Lee defeated Bob Bennett in the 2010 Utah Senate election. In March 2011, just-elected U.S. Senator Mike Lee said he will not endorse Hatch in the primary. In May 2011, Chaffetz told several Utah political insiders that he plans to run. He said he won't make an official decision until after Labor Day of 2011.

In June 2011, prominent conservative radio talk show host Mark Levin endorsed Hatch. The fiscally conservative 501(c)4 organization Club for Growth encouraged Chaffetz to run. The group cited Hatch's support for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, State Children's Health Insurance Program, No Child Left Behind Act, Bridge to Nowhere, and other votes among the reasons why they opposed his re-election. In an interview with Politico, Chaffetz stated, "After 34 years of service, I think most Utahans want a change. They want to thank him for his service, but it's time to move on. And for me personally, I think he's been on the wrong side of a host of major issues." The congressman cited Hatch's vote in favor of Equal Opportunity to Serve Act and the Health Equity and Access Reform Today Act of 1993. However, Chaffetz ultimately decided against a run.

Endorsements

Individuals

• Ken Blackwell, member of board of directors of Club for Growth and former Ohio Secretary of State
• Sam Brownback, governor of Kansas and former U.S. senator (R-KS)
• Mike Crapo, U.S. senator (R-ID)
• C. Boyden Gray, co-chairman of FreedomWorks Foundation Board and former White House Counsel
• Sean Hannity, prominent conservative radio and television host, author, and political commentator
• Hugh Hewitt, conservative talk radio host
• Mark Levin, conservative talk radio host
• Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, former president and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics, and presidential candidate in 2008 and 2012
• Sal Russo, co-founder of Tea Party Express

Organizations

• GOProud

Individuals

• Stuart Adams, state senator
• Casey Anderson, state senator
• Kevin Cromer, former state representative
• Margaret Dayton, state senator
• Lyle W. Hillyard, state senator
• Dave Hinkins, state senator
• Michelle Malkin, conservative author and commentator
• Wayne L. Niederhauser, state senator
• Ralph Okerlund, state senator
• Aaron Osmond, state senator
• Stuart Reid, state senator
• Howard A. Stephenson, state senator
• Jerry Stevenson, state senator
• Stephen H. Urquhart, state senator
• Todd Weiler, state senator

Organizations

• Gun Owners of America

Polling

In a January 2012 UtahPolicy.com poll of 1,291 Salt Lake County Republican caucus participants, 42% chose Hatch, 23% Liljenquist, 5% Herrod, and 30% were undecided. In a January 28, 2012 straw poll of 194 votes at the Box Elder County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner, 42% chose Liljenquist, 41% for Hatch, and 17% for Herrod.

Results

Primary

Candidates

• Orrin Hatch, incumbent U.S. senator
• Dan Liljenquist, former state senator

Campaign

After the convention, Hatch had $3 million more than Liljenquist.

Endorsements

Individuals

• Scott Anderson, CEO of Zions Bank
• Norm Bangerter, former governor of Utah
• LaVell Edwards, former football coach of Brigham Young University
• Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine and CEO of Forbes Inc.
• Sean Hannity, political commentator
• James V. Hansen, former U.S. representative (R-UT)
• Gary Herbert, governor of Utah
• Truman Hunt, CEO of Nu Skin Enterprises
• Josh James, CEO of DOMO
• Jon Kyl, U.S. senator (R-AZ)
• Fred Lampropoulos, CEO of Merit Medical Systems
• Mark Levin, political commentator and President of Landmark Legal Foundation
• Ron McBride, former football coach of Utah State University and Weber State University
• Mike Noel, state representative
• Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee
• Mitt Romney, 2012 Republican presidential nominee and former governor of Massachusetts
• Sal Russo, co-leader of the Tea Party Express
• Mark Shurtleff, state attorney general
• Dave Steele, former state senator
• Daniel W. Thatcher, state senator
• Brett Tolman, former U.S. attorney for the District of Utah
• John L. Valentine, state senator

Organizations

• National Rifle Association - Political Victory Fund

Individuals

• Rick Santorum, former U.S. senator (R-PA)

Organizations

• FreedomWorks

Polling

Results

| | | | | ]]

Democratic nomination

Candidates

Declared

• Pete Ashdown, businessman and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2006
• Scott Howell, former state senator and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2000

Results

Howell defeated Ashdown 63%-37% to win and avoid a primary.

General election

Candidates

• Bill Barron (Independent)
• Daniel Geery (Justice)
• Orrin Hatch (Republican), incumbent U.S. senator
• Scott Howell (Democratic), former state senator and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2000
• Shaun McCausland (Constitution)

Debates

• Complete video of debate, October 17, 2012 - C-SPAN

Fundraising

Top contributors

Top industries

Predictions

Polling

with Dan Liljenquist

with Jason Chaffetz

with Orrin Hatch

Republican primary

Results

By congressional district

Hatch won all four congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat.

References

References

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3. (April 2019). "Utah Republican Party Candidates List}}{{Dead link".
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