Should Mitt Romney Run for Senate?

Utah’s Senior Senator Orrin Hatch announced earlier this week that he would retire at the end of his current term, putting to rest rumors the 83-year-old Hatch would stick around for an eighth term.

An announcement from Senator Orrin G. Hatch. #utpol pic.twitter.com/UeItaLjR3j

— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) January 2, 2018

Hatch’s retirement leaves a coveted seat in a heavily red state to fill. Naturally, immediate speculation focused on former Massachusetts Governor and 2012 Presidential Candidate, Mitt Romney, who’d previously expressed interest in running for Senate, should Hatch bow out.

Now, lawmakers are actively courting Romney, hoping to persuade him to throw his hat into the 2018 ring.

The Hill reported:

Several Republican senators are urging former Gov. Mitt Romney (R) to run for Utah’s open Senate seat this year.

“Run Mitt, run,” Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) told The Hill when asked about a Romney bid to fill the seat being vacated by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the chamber’s longest serving member.

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said Romney “would bring another strong dimension to the Senate and a lot of leadership qualities, so I hope he will run, I would encourage him to run.”

Asked if the former 2012 GOP presidential nominee would face hurdles in Utah’s primary contest, including a possible challenge by Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah), Flake shook his head no.

“Mitt will run, I think, without real opposition,” Flake said, adding that he met with Romney over the weekend and “I hope he runs.”

But those are the opinions of lawmakers and we’d rather hear from you.

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