REPORT: Here comes Senator Mitt Romney!

by The Right Scoop

There are big rumors today that Orrin Hatch, 83, will retire and Mitt Romney will run for his seat in the Senate:


Hatch is denying the rumors of his retirement are true:

THE HILL – Sen. Orrin Hatch’s (R-Utah) office on Friday is disputing reports that the nation’s longest-serving Republican senator has decided to retire in order to make way for Mitt Romney to run for Senate.

According to a report in The Atlantic, which cited five sources close to the situation, Hatch is planning to retire at the end of his term in 2018. The report also claimed that 2012 Republican presidential nominee Romney is aiming to replace him in the Senate.

“Nothing has changed since The Atlantic published a carbon copy of this same story in April, likely with the same anonymous sources who were no more informed on the senator’s thinking than they seem to be now,” Hatch spokesman Dave Hansen said in response to The Atlantic.

However, the insider sources said that despite strong pressure on Hatch not to run again, the plans are not final and that Romney’s choices depend on whether or not Hatch decides to retire.

The 83-year-old senator said in March that he may retire if Romney were to replace him, saying at the time that he was unsure if he would seek re-election in 2018.

Maybe this is just a repeat of the old April report. Or maybe Romney supporters are trying to pressure him to announce his retirement Romney can take his place.

Here’s a good question:

And an interesting flashback to the primary from last year:

I’ve never been a fan of Romney. He’s just as moderate as he’s always been, but at this point I don’t think he can be any worse than the very disappointing Orrin Hatch. But if he runs, I’m not sure there’s anyone that can stop him from winning that seat.


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