# Utah U.S. Senate race 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 16, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931 "2018-02-16T16:07:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/21 "2018-02-20T04:16:16Z")
POTUS has endorsed Romney, despite past mutual hostility: [President Trump endorses Mitt Romney for Utah Senate seat](https://www.aol.com/article/news/2018/02/19/president-trump-endorses-mitt-romney-utah-senate/23365888/) > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Houston was Governor of both Tennessee and Texas, with President of Texas in between. > Daniel Webster was a Congressman from New Hampshire before he was a Congressman and then Senator from Massachusetts. Scott Brown served as a U.S. senator from Massachusetts and, just a year after leaving that seat, ran for (but lost) a Senate seat in neighboring New Hampshire: [Scott Brown (politician) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Brown_(politician)) ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/22 "2018-02-20T04:36:20Z")
And Romney thanked him, what a pussy. > ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/23 "2018-02-20T16:32:37Z")
I had briefly thought that Romney might have some sense of dignity, honor, and morality greater than the general lizard-ness that’s infected the Trumpian Republican party (which doesn’t include those Republicans who have left the party or been consistently critical of Trump), but nope, he’s just as scummy as the rest of the Trumpians. He’ll still almost certainly win, of course. But I’m not even sure why he’d accept this endorsement when he almost certainly would have won anyway – why trade away dignity and honor for nothing? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/24 "2018-02-20T16:34:35Z")
When yours are \*worth \*nothing? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/25 "2018-02-20T16:35:26Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I had briefly thought that Romney might have some sense of dignity, honor, and morality greater than the general lizard-ness that’s infected the Trumpian Republican party (which doesn’t include those Republicans who have left the party or been consistently critical of Trump), but nope, he’s just as scummy as the rest of the Trumpians. He’ll still almost certainly win, of course. But I’m not even sure why he’d accept this endorsement when he almost certainly would have won anyway – why trade away dignity and honor for nothing? Why are they all doing it? I can’t fathom it. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/26 "2018-02-20T16:41:54Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > “Even in Utah”? Utah is the state where the independent took 20% of the vote running as a never-Trumpist. Speaking of which, I would have thought McMullin would have thrown his hat into this particular ring. I wonder if he opted out when Romney stepped up. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/27 "2018-02-20T17:29:39Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Speaking of which, I would have thought McMullin would have thrown his hat into this particular ring. I wonder if he opted out when Romney stepped up. Well, I’m not that surprised. His Presidential run was pure protest and I’m sure he knows he has to build a little more before such a brass ring. The most obvious thing would be for him to start out as a Congressman, which is what I’m surprised he’s not doing. He’d have a lot of contacts there already, given his previous job, and could make a decent splash in the HoR I would think. But I haven’t really looked at those elections to see if there is a weak enough field in one of them for him to take a shot. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/28 "2018-02-20T19:48:05Z")
We have a [poll](http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/15878-poll-gives-republican-mitt-romney-a-big-lead-in-utah-s-u-s-senate-race)! Romney +46! Here’s how it went down… “If the election for U.S. Senate were held today, and the candidates were the following, for whom would you vote?” Mitt Romney, Republican 60 Don’t know 14 Jenny Wilson, Democrat 14 Craig Bowden, Libertarian 3 Dan McCay, Republican 2 Other 2 Mitchell Vice, Democrat 1 Larry Meyers, Republican 1 Jay Hyatt, Republican 1 Alicia Colvin, Republican 1 L’Capi Titus, Republican 0 Timothy Jimenez, Republican 0 It looks insurmountable, but I think with a little luck and a couple of favorable news cycles that Don’t Know can close that gap. It’s too early to tell at any rate. I put this in the ‘toss-up’ column. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/29 "2018-02-20T19:54:56Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > We have a [poll](http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/15878-poll-gives-republican-mitt-romney-a-big-lead-in-utah-s-u-s-senate-race)! > > Romney +46! > > Here’s how it went down… > > “If the election for U.S. Senate were held today, and the candidates were the following, for whom would you vote?” > > Mitt Romney, Republican 60 > Don’t know 14 > Jenny Wilson, Democrat 14 > Craig Bowden, Libertarian 3 > Dan McCay, Republican 2 > Other 2 > Mitchell Vice, Democrat 1 > Larry Meyers, Republican 1 > Jay Hyatt, Republican 1 > Alicia Colvin, Republican 1 > L’Capi Titus, Republican 0 > Timothy Jimenez, Republican 0 > > It looks insurmountable, but I think with a little luck and a couple of favorable news cycles that Don’t Know can close that gap. It’s too early to tell at any rate. I put this in the ‘toss-up’ column. lol. Yeah, that’s a real toss up. Like I said earlier, the only chance is for someone to surprise him in the primaries with party caucus rules and friends. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/30 "2018-02-20T19:56:47Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > We have a [poll](http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/15878-poll-gives-republican-mitt-romney-a-big-lead-in-utah-s-u-s-senate-race)! > > Romney +46! > > Here’s how it went down… > > “If the election for U.S. Senate were held today, and the candidates were the following, for whom would you vote?” > > Mitt Romney, Republican 60 > Don’t know 14 > Jenny Wilson, Democrat 14 > Craig Bowden, Libertarian 3 > Dan McCay, Republican 2 > Other 2 > Mitchell Vice, Democrat 1 > Larry Meyers, Republican 1 > Jay Hyatt, Republican 1 > Alicia Colvin, Republican 1 > L’Capi Titus, Republican 0 > Timothy Jimenez, Republican 0 > > It looks insurmountable, but I think with a little luck and a couple of favorable news cycles that Don’t Know can close that gap. It’s too early to tell at any rate. I put this in the ‘toss-up’ column. Not only is it extremely early, a lot of those possible candidates won’t make it through to the election. At this point, it’s no more than a name-recognition poll. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/31 "2018-02-20T20:00:52Z")
I guess voting for some carpetbagger who really doesn’t give a rat’s ass about your state and just wants to use it as a political stepping stone isn’t a problem for most people. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/32 "2018-02-20T20:13:47Z")
Do you know what “stepping stone” means? Because if you do, I am curious what you think Romney is moving on up to after his Senate stint. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/33 "2018-02-22T17:16:26Z")
> [@](#): > > It looks insurmountable, but I think with a little luck and a couple of favorable news cycles that Don’t Know can close that gap. On the other hand, Mr. Know already has very high name recognition, which is already baked into those numbers. And he has a proven history of polling well at the outset of a race (just how many offices has this guy run for, anyway?), only for his support to plummet later on. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/34 "2018-02-22T22:46:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > …(just how many offices has this guy run for, anyway?)… Off the top of my head: Ran for US Senate against Ted Kennedy (lost) Ran for Governor of Mass. (won) Ran for President (lost) Ran for President again (got GOP nomination, then lost to Obama) ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/35 "2018-02-23T01:54:28Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Off the top of my head: > > Ran for US Senate against Ted Kennedy (lost) > Ran for Governor of Mass. (won) > Ran for President (lost) > Ran for President again (got GOP nomination, then lost to Obama) Whooosh. He was talking about Mr. Know. First name Don’t. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/36 "2018-02-26T21:12:13Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I guess voting for some carpetbagger who really doesn’t give a rat’s ass about your state and just wants to use it as a political stepping stone isn’t a problem for most people. :rolleyes: [Apparently](http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/15935-chaos-in-the-utah-gop-party-hardliners-adopt-rule-change-that-chairman-rob-anderson-says-is-unconstitutional) the Utah Republican Party Central Committee is not too keen on Willard. _If former U.S. GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney continues gathering signatures as part of his U.S. Senate run this year, he may well be kicked out of the Utah Republican Party via a bylaw change adopted Saturday over the objections of party chairman Rob Anderson.… But after Stewart Peay, the Snell & Wilmer attorney whom Anderson has had as the party’s legal counsel said (that the bylaw change is probably illegal and unconstitutional), the CC members in attendance fired him._ leaving the Party without legal counsel _Saying he is not trying to sound over-dramatic, “But really, I’m the only person standing now between the collapse of the Utah Republican Party” if the rightwing group gains control of the state office. “And that’s the truth.” … The bylaw says if any GOP candidate accepts the signature route to the primary, he or she “immediately” loses their party membership. So this election year “if you collect signatures” as a way to get on the primary ballot, “they (the right-wingers) will expel you” from the party, said Anderson._ Rmoney is simply not RW enough for the far right Utah Rs. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/37 "2018-02-26T22:52:52Z")
It’s not a change aimed particularly at Romney so much as anger over the Count My Vote initiative. But yeah, he’s probably not RW enough for the Utah Rs that would go to the caucus and convention. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/38 "2018-02-27T01:13:31Z")
If the far-right wing of the Republican party manages to kick Romney out of the party, then we could actually see Utah, of all places, in play. Romney’s popular and well-known enough to mount a third-party run, and a lot of people would be disgusted by the party trying to foil their will that way. If Romney and whoever the right-winger is manage to split the Republican vote… well, it’ll still be an uphill climb for the Democrats, but it’s Kilimanjaro uphill, not South Face of Everest uphill. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/39 "2018-02-27T01:26:48Z")
This is just the break that the Don’t Know campaign needed. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2018, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931/40 "2018-04-22T18:10:14Z")
Romney didn’t get the Utah GOP’s nomination at the state convention, and will now go on to a primary against a more pro-Trump candidate: [https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/21/politics/romney-utah-gop-convention/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/21/politics/romney-utah-gop-convention/index.html) Here’s a Princeton prof on Romney and the GOP in the Age of Trump: [https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/22/opinions/romney-trump-effect-senate-opinion-zelizer/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/22/opinions/romney-trump-effect-senate-opinion-zelizer/index.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utah-u-s-senate-race-2018/808931.md?page=3)