2012 United States Senate election in Utah
The 2012 United States Senate election in Utah took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and as various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch won re-election to a seventh term against former state Senator and IBM executive, Scott Howell the Democratic candidate.[2] This would be the last time Hatch was elected to the Senate before his retirement in 2018.
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| Turnout | 55.4% (voting eligible)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
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 County results Hatch: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Howell: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Utah |
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Background
Orrin Hatch won re-election to a sixth term after winning 62.5% of the vote against Pete Ashdown in the 2006 U.S. senatorial election in Utah. Tea Party activists have targeted Hatch for a primary challenge, similar to the victory of Mike Lee over Bob Bennett in the 2010 Utah Senatorial election.[3]
Republican nomination
Candidates
- Declared
- Tim Aalders, radio talk show host and former business manager[4]
- Dale Ash, retired sales manager[4]
- Arlan Brunson, small business owner[5]
- David Chiu[6]
- Kevin Fisk, small business owner[4]
- Jeremy Friedbaum, small business owner and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010[4]
- Orrin Hatch, incumbent U.S. Senator[7]
- Chris Herrod, State Representative[8]
- William "Dub" Lawrence[6]
- Dan Liljenquist, former State Senator[9]
- Declined
- Jason Chaffetz, U.S. Representative[10][11]
- Jon Huntsman, Jr., former Ambassador to China, former Governor of Utah, former Ambassador to Singapore and candidate for President in 2012[12]
- David Kirkham, co-founder of the Utah tea party[13]
- Morgan Philpot, former state representative and 2010 congressional candidate[14]
- Mark Shurtleff, Utah Attorney General[15]
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.[3] In March 2011, just-elected U.S. Senator Mike Lee said he will not endorse Hatch in the primary.[16] 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.[17]
In June 2011, prominent conservative radio talk show host Mark Levin endorsed Hatch.[18] 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.[19] 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.[20] However, Chaffetz ultimately decided against a run.
Endorsements
Orrin Hatch
- Mike Crapo, U.S. Senator (R-ID)[21]
- Sam Brownback, Governor of Kansas and former U.S. Senator (R-KS)[21]
- 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[21]
- Ken Blackwell, member of Board of Directors of Club for Growth and former Ohio Secretary of State[21]
- C. Boyden Gray, Co-Chairman of FreedomWorks Foundation Board and former White House Counsel[21]
- Sal Russo, co-founder of Tea Party Express[21]
- Sean Hannity, prominent conservative radio and television host, author, and political commentator[21]
- Mark Levin, conservative talk radio host[21]
- Hugh Hewitt, conservative talk radio host[21]
- GOProud[22]
Dan Liljenquist
- Stephen H. Urquhart, state senator[23]
- Howard A. Stephenson, state senator[23]
- Stuart Reid, state senator[23]
- Jerry Stevenson, state senator[23]
- Stuart Adams, state senator[23]
- Todd Weiler, state senator[23]
- Margaret Dayton, state senator[23]
- Wayne L. Niederhauser, state senator[23]
- Ralph Okerlund, state senator[23]
- Casey Anderson, state senator[23]
- Lyle W. Hillyard, state senator[23]
- Aaron Osmond, state senator[23]
- Dave Hinkins, state senator[23]
- Kevin Cromer, former state representative[23]
- Michelle Malkin, conservative author and commentator[23]
- Gun Owners of America[24][25]
Polling
In a January 2012 UtahPolicy.com poll of 1,291 Salt Lake County Republican caucus participants, 42% went for Hatch, 23% Liljenquist, 5% Herrod, and 30% were undecided.[26] In a January 28, 2012 straw poll of 194 votes at the Box Elder County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner, 42% went for Liljenquist, 41% for Hatch, and 17% for Herrod.[27]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Orrin Hatch | 2,243 | 57.25 | |
| Republican | Dan Liljenquist | 1,108 | 28.28 | |
| Republican | Chris Herrod | 421 | 10.75 | |
| Republican | Tim Aalders | 78 | 1.99 | |
| Republican | Dale Ash | 18 | 0.46 | |
| Republican | David Chiu | 17 | 0.43 | |
| Republican | Jeremy Friedbaum | 15 | 0.38 | |
| Republican | Loy Arlan Brunson | 14 | 0.36 | |
| Republican | Kevin Fisk | 3 | 0.08 | |
| Republican | Dub Lawrence | 1 | 0.03 | |
| Total votes | 3,918 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Orrin Hatch | 2,313 | 59.19 | |
| Republican | Dan Liljenquist | 1,595 | 40.81 | |
| Total votes | 3,908 | 100 | ||
Candidates
- Orrin Hatch, incumbent U.S. Senator
- Dan Liljenquist, former state senator
Campaign
After the convention, Hatch had $3 million more than Liljenquist.[28]
Endorsements
Orrin Hatch
- Mitt Romney, 2012 Republican Presidential nominee and former governor of Massachusetts[21]
- Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska and 2008 Republican Vice Presidential nominee[21][29]
- Jon Kyl, U.S. Senator (R-AZ)[21]
- Mark Shurtleff, State Attorney General[21]
- John L. Valentine, state senator[21]
- Daniel W. Thatcher, state senator[21]
- Mike Noel, state representative[21]
- Norm Bangerter, former governor of Utah[21]
- James V. Hansen, former U.S. Representative (R-UT)[21]
- Dave Steele, former state senator[21]
- Brett Tolman, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah[21]
- Truman Hunt, CEO of Nu Skin Enterprises[21]
- Josh James, CEO of DOMO[21]
- Scott Anderson, CEO of Zions Bank[21]
- Fred Lampropoulos, CEO of Merit Medical Systems[21]
- LaVell Edwards, former American football coach of Brigham Young University[21]
- Ron McBride, former American football coach of Utah State University and Weber State University[21]
- Sean Hannity, Political commentator[21]
- Mark Levin, Political commentator and President of Landmark Legal Foundation[21]
- Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine and CEO of Forbes Inc.[21]
- Sal Russo, co-leader of the Tea Party Express[21]
- Gary Herbert, Governor of Utah[30]
- National Rifle Association[31]
Dan Liljenquist
- Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator (R-PA)[32]
- FreedomWorks[33]
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Orrin Hatch |
Dan Liljenquist |
Other/ Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Data Points/Key Research | June 12–19, 2012 | 500 | ±4.4% | 56% | 25% | 18% |
| Deseret News/KSL-TV | June 15–21, 2012 | 737 | ±3.6% | 60% | 32% | 8% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Orrin Hatch (incumbent) | 146,394 | 66.5% | |
| Republican | Dan Liljenquist | 73,668 | 34.5% | |
| Total votes | 220,062 | 100.0% | ||
Democratic nomination
Candidates
- Declared
- Pete Ashdown, businessman and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2006[35]
- Scott Howell, former state senator and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2000[36]
Results
Howell defeated Ashdown 63%-37% to win and avoid a primary.[37]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Scott Howell | - | 63 | |
| Democratic | Pete Ashdown | - | 37 | |
| Total votes | - | 100 | ||
General election
Candidates
- 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)[38]
- Daniel Geery (Justice)[38]
- Bill Barron (Independent)[38]
Debates
- Complete video of debate, October 17, 2012 - C-SPAN
Fundraising
| Candidate (party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash on hand | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Howell (D) | $421,086 | $420,779 | $306 | $0 |
| Orrin Hatch (R) | $11,577,851 | $13,140,209 | $779,719 | $515,845 |
| William Barron (I) | $17,157 | $14,116 | $3,038 | $0 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission[39][40][41] | ||||
Top contributors
| Scott Howell | Contribution | Orrin Hatch | Contribution | William Barron | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Union of Operating Engineers | $10,000 | OC Tanner Inc | $72,010 | Peace River Citrus Products | $2,000 |
| Altaview Orthodontics | $5,000 | Cancer Treatment Centers of America | $67,500 | Cirque Property | $1,000 |
| International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers | $5,000 | Cerberus Capital Management | $65,000 | ||
| International Association of Iron Workers | $5,000 | Fresenius Medical Care | $65,500 | ||
| Intermountain Healthcare National Education Association | $5,000 | Blue Cross & Blue Shield | $54,500 | ||
| Shurtleff Construction | $5,000 | Ernst & Young | $53,000 | ||
| St Mark's Hospital | $5,000 | PricewaterhouseCoopers | $42,008 | ||
| United Steelworkers | $5,000 | Herbalife International | $41,900 | ||
| Sutter Health | $4,500 | Marriott International | $39,500 | ||
| IBM Corporation | $3,150 | Apollo Global Management | $39,000 | ||
| Source: Center for Responsive Politics[42] | |||||
Top industries
| Scott Howell | Contribution | Orrin Hatch | Contribution | William Barron | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retired | $43,100 | Financial Institutions | $1,113,746 | Retired | $4,050 |
| Health Professionals | $17,000 | Pharmaceuticals/Health Products | $834,601 | Agribusiness | $2,000 |
| Building Trade Unions | $15,000 | Lobbyists | $508,567 | Real Estate | $1,000 |
| Hospitals/Nursing Homes | $14,500 | Insurance | $495,968 | Education | $750 |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $12,250 | Lawyers/Law Firms | $479,871 | Misc Business | $500 |
| Industrial Unions | $10,000 | Health Professionals | $447,415 | ||
| General Contractors | $7,500 | Real Estate | $412,394 | ||
| Automotive | $5,000 | Health Services/HMOs | $396,132 | ||
| Public Sector Unions | $5,000 | Leadership PACs | $394,550 | ||
| High-Tech Industry | $4,900 | Oil & Gas | $391,878 | ||
| Source: Center for Responsive Politics[43] | |||||
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[44] | Solid R | November 1, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[45] | Safe R | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg Political Report[46] | Safe R | November 2, 2012 |
| Real Clear Politics[47] | Safe R | November 5, 2012 |
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Orrin Hatch (R) |
Scott Howell (D) |
Other/ Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deseret News/KSL-TV | June 15–21, 2012 | 1,228 | ±2.8% | 63% | 29% | 8% |
| Utah State University | October 8–13, 2012 | n/a | ±7.6% | 67% | 24% | 9% |
| Key Research | October 9–13, 2012 | 500 | ±4.4% | 61% | 22% | 17% |
| Deseret News/KSL | October 26 – November 1, 2012 | 870 | ±3.4% | 63% | 26% | 11% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Orrin Hatch (incumbent) | 657,608 | 65.31% | +2.95% | |
| Democratic | Scott Howell | 301,873 | 29.98% | -1.08% | |
| Constitution | Shaun McCausland | 31,905 | 3.17% | -0.60% | |
| Justice | Daniel Geery | 8,342 | 0.83% | N/A | |
| Independent | Bill Barron | 7,172 | 0.71% | N/A | |
| Independent | JoAnn Secrist (write-in) | 1 | 0.00% | N/A | |
| Total votes | 1,006,901 | 100.0% | N/A | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
See also
References
- Dr. Michael McDonald (February 9, 2013). "2012 General Election Turnout Rates". George Mason University. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2013.
- "Sen. Orrin Hatch forced into primary for first time since '76, faces Dan Liljenquist in June". www.deseretnews.com. April 21, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
- Weiner, Rachel (February 9, 2011). "Orrin Hatch courts tea party activists, Tea Party Express divided". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- "Utah Republican Party Candidates List".
- "L.A. Brunson Campaign Interview and Announcement". K-Talk Radio. October 25, 2011.
- "Election Results: U.S. Senate Candidates". Utah Republican Party. April 21, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Miller, Sean J. (December 8, 2010). "Sen. Hatch: 'I intend to run, and I intend to win'". The Hill. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
- Gehrke, Robert (January 6, 2012). "Rep. Chris Herrod joins campaign to defeat Orrin Hatch". The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Gehrke, Robert (January 4, 2012). "Liljenquist is in against Hatch". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
- Catanese, David; Sherman, Jake (August 22, 2011). "Jason Chaffetz is out, but Orrin Hatch isn't in the clear". Politico. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Trygstad, Kyle (August 22, 2011). "Chaffetz Passes on Hatch Challenge". Roll Call. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Burr, Thomas (February 6, 2012). "Jon Huntsman rules out another political bid – for now". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- Gehrke, Robert (January 6, 2012). "Tea Party leader Kirkham ready to run for governor". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
- Hesterman, Billy (December 1, 2011). "Philpot to challenge Herbert in 2012". Daily Herald. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Roche, Lisa Riley (June 9, 2011). "Two Utah political heavyweights eyeing key races". Deseret News. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- "Mike Lee: Orrin Hatch Not Getting My Endorsement In 2012 Primary". Huffington Post. February 11, 2011.
- Gehrke, Robert (June 1, 2011). "Sources say Chaffetz is in against Hatch". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- "Key National Voice Endorses Orrin Hatch For Senate". Orrin Hatch for Utah. June 14, 2011. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Keller, Barney (June 1, 2011). "Run, Jason, Run!". Club for Growth. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Sherman, Jake (June 3, 2011). "Jason Chaffetz leaning toward challenging Orrin Hatch". Politico. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- "Endorsements & Quotes". Orrin Hatch for Utah. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- "GOProud Announces U.S. House Endorsements - GOProud, Inc". October 25, 2012. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012.
- "Endorsements". Dan Liljenquist - Conservative for U.S. Senate. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- "Issues". Dan Liljenquist - Conservative for U.S. Senate. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- "2012 GOA-PVF Candidates". Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund. Archived from the original on December 22, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Schott, Bryan (January 20, 2012). "UtahPolicy.com Poll: Salt Lake County Republicans Prefer Hatch over Liljenquist". Utah Policy. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- "Liljenquist, Herbert and Swallow lead straw poll results among Box Elder GOP". Cache Valley Daily. February 2, 2012. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Allahpundit (April 21, 2012). "Orrin Hatch fails to clinch GOP nomination in Utah — by 0.9%". Hot Air. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Scoop, The Right (May 23, 2012). "Sarah Palin announces endorsement of Orrin Hatch for US Senate". The Right Scoop.
- Davidson, Lee (June 6, 2012). "Herbert endorses Hatch, calls him 'best choice for Utah'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
- "Utah". National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
- Hartman, Rachel Rose (June 15, 2012). "TSantorum endorses Hatch's opponent in Utah primary". ABC News. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
- "FreedomWorks for America Endorses Conservative Candidate Dan Liljenquist for Utah Senate". FreedomWorks. April 26, 2012. Archived from the original on May 5, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- "2016 Election Results: President Live Map by State, Real-Time Voting Updates". Election Hub.
- Roche, Lisa Riley (November 8, 2011). "Pete Ashdown to try again to unseat Sen. Hatch". Deseret News. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Gehrke, Robert (March 15, 2012). "From president to school board, candidates file for Utah elections". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Cortez, Marjorie (April 21, 2012). "Utah Democrats pick Scott Howell as candidate for U.S. Senate". Deseret News. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Frandsen, Eric (March 15, 2012). "Hatch faces 9 challengers from within his own party". Cache Valley Daily. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- "Howell Campaign Finances".
- "Hatch Campaign Finances".
- "Barron Campaign Finances".
- Center for Responsive Politics. "Top Contributors 2012 Race: Utah Senate". opensecrets.org.
- Center for Responsive Politics. "Top Industries 2012 Race: Utah Senate". opensecrets.org.
- "2012 Senate Race Ratings for November 1, 2012". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- "2012 Senate". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- "2012 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- "2012 Elections Map - Battle for the Senate 2012". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- https://elections.utah.gov/election-resources/election-results
External links
- Utah Government Services – Elections
- Campaign finances at OpenSecrets.org
- Outside spending at Sunlight Foundation
- Candidates issue positions at On the Issues
- Official campaign websites
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