Orrin Hatch: Republicans Hurt By Todd Akin, Still Have Shot at Majority

(Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call)

TAMPA, Fla. — Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) conceded in an interview this morning that Rep. Todd Akin’s controversial remarks have endangered GOP prospects in the Missouri Senate race, along with the party’s chances of winning control of the Senate this fall.

“We’re going to take back the Senate, I believe, but it’s going to be very close,” Hatch said this morning. “It could go either way. I have to acknowledge that. The Akin race has hurt us to a degree.” Full story

Utah: Orrin Hatch Cruises to Victory in GOP Primary

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Sen. Orrin Hatch handily won renomination in the Republican primary Tuesday night and is now heavily favored to win re-election to a seventh term, which he has said would be his last.

After entering the 2012 cycle as one of the Senate’s most endangered incumbents, the 78-year-old lawmaker survived a challenge from Dan Liljenquist, an underfunded former state Senator whose candidacy was ultimately undone by Hatch’s strong campaign and a lack of angst over the Senator’s voting record and length of service. Hatch led 69 percent to 31 percent, with 13 percent of precincts reporting.

The Associated Press called the race just after 11 p.m. Eastern time. Full story

Utah: Orrin Hatch Outraised, Outspent Dan Liljenquist Pre-Primary

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Sen. Orrin Hatch continued to outraise his Republican primary challenger in the pre-primary fundraising period.

Hatch, who faces former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist in Tuesday’s contest, raised $569,000 from April 2 to June 6, according to records filed last week. Liljenquist brought in $309,000, including a $100,000 personal loan.

The discrepancy in spending was much larger. Hatch spent more than $1.9 million during the two-month period, including about $900,000 on media buys. Liljenquist, who needs to overcome a heavy name identification disadvantage, spent $388,000, including $152,000 on radio and television advertising. Full story

Utah: Rick Santorum Endorses Dan Liljenquist

Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) today backed the Republican primary challenger to Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch.

Santorum, a presidential candidate until two months ago, announced his endorsement of former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist in an email to members of his new organization, Patriot Voices.

“Dan Liljenquist is the stronger conservative in this race,” Santorum wrote. “I’ve known Orrin Hatch for years and believe he is a very good man, but in a deeply conservative state like Utah, we must elect authentic conservatives. I believe Dan Liljenquist is that candidate.”

Hatch has the support of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and is favored to win the June 26 primary. Romney has filmed television ads for Hatch and has appeared with him on the stump in Utah.

Utah: Freedom Path Ad Hits Dan Liljenquist for Missed Votes

A Utah nonprofit organization supportive of Sen. Orrin Hatch is airing a television ad that criticizes his Republican primary opponent, former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist, for missing nearly a quarter of the floor votes held during the 2011 legislative session.

The group, Freedom Path, spent $60,000 on the spot, which began running in the middle of last week and is set to run through the end of next week. The primary is scheduled for June 26. Full story

Utah: Sarah Palin Backs Orrin Hatch Ahead of Primary

(Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin endorsed Sen. Orrin Hatch for re-election to a seventh term.

Palin’s backing offers Hatch another conservative endorsement as he holds off a Republican primary challenge from former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist. Hatch, who has faced criticism from some conservatives for past votes, narrowly missed securing the nomination at the state party convention last month, forcing the two into a June 26 primary. Full story

Utah: Dan Liljenquist Slams Orrin Hatch on Lack of Debates

Former Utah state Sen. Dan Liljenquist launched the first TV ad of his Republican primary challenge to longtime Sen. Orrin Hatch.

Full story

Orrin Hatch Donated $10K to Richard Mourdock After Primary

Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock received a congratulatory call from Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) on Thursday, two days after Mourdock’s 20-point defeat of Sen. Dick Lugar in the Indiana Republican primary.

Hatch, who is facing a conservative challenge of his own in a primary next month, spoke with Mourdock for 10 minutes and cut him a check for $10,000 from his leadership political action committee, Orrin PAC. Full story

Utah: Orrin Hatch Picks Up Chamber Endorsement

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Although Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) still has to get through his primary challenge from state Sen. Dan Liljenquist, he picked up a big endorsement Wednesday. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced the group is endorsing Hatch in his re-election bid. Full story

Utah: Orrin Hatch Keeping His Head Down

(Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

If Sen. Orrin Hatch is breathing a sigh of relief, he isn’t acting like it. In a brief interview with Roll Call this evening, the Utah Republican declined to gloat about his Saturday victory at the state GOP convention.

Rather, Hatch displayed the same attitude of determined but disciplined caution he has exhibited since beginning what many believed was an uphill campaign for re-election two years ago.

“We were very pleased. A couple months ago people were saying I couldn’t come out of the convention,” Hatch said, absent any of the emotion that his optimistic comments suggest.

Full story

Utah: Orrin Hatch, Dan Liljenquist Will Face Off in Primary

Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo

Sen. Orrin Hatch and former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist will face off in a June 26 primary for the Republican nomination in Utah.

The 78-year-old incumbent came up just short of securing his party’s nomination today at the state Republican convention in Salt Lake City, but he starts out favored against his conservative challenger. Full story

Internal Poll: Orrin Hatch Can Win Nomination at Convention

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

An internal poll of Utah Republican delegates conducted for Sen. Orrin Hatch’s campaign found the six-term incumbent with enough support to secure the nomination at this month’s state convention.

Hatch is supported by 62 percent of attendees, followed by former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist with 16 percent and state Rep. Chris Herrod with 5 percent. Hatch needs at least 60 percent of the 4,000 total delegates to win the nomination at the convention. If no candidate takes 60 percent, the top two finishers advance to the June 26 primary. Full story

Utah: Senate Race Could Be Won or Lost Today

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Today may be the most important day of Sen. Orrin Hatch’s (R) bid for a seventh term. The Hatch campaign, fending off state GOP convention challenges from conservative opponents, has recruited and trained thousands of people to run as delegates for Hatch in tonight’s local caucuses being held around the state. Full story

Utah: Romney Cuts One-Minute TV Ad for Hatch

Leading up to Thursday’s crucial Republican precinct caucuses, presidential candidate Mitt Romney has cut a second ad in as many weeks in support of Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch.

The former Massachusetts governor, a popular figure in the Utah, is featured in a new TV ad for Hatch, who hopes Romney’s endorsement can help him survive a competitive convention challenge. In the one-minute TV spot, Romney assures voters that they can count on Hatch to represent them for a seventh term.

Full story

Utah: Mitt Romney Urges Support for Orrin Hatch in Ad

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) is leaning on one of the most well-known names in the state to help him win a seventh term.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is heading into the final weekend before Super Tuesday, lent his voice to a radio ad launched today by the Hatch campaign.

In the ad, Romney, who endorsed Hatch in September, explains the importance of Hatch’s potential chairmanship of the Senate Finance Committee — one of Hatch’s leading arguments for re-election — and encourages voters to attend local precinct caucuses on March 15 to elect delegates to the state convention. Full story