Mike Lee: Orrin Hatch Not Getting My Endorsement In 2012 Primary

WASHINGTON — Tea party favorite Sen. Mike Lee says he won't endorse fellow Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch's re-election in the 2012 GOP primary.

Lee said Friday on MSNBC that he would be neutral in the race until the primary is decided.

Lee's decision was seen as a blow to Hatch, who is seeking tea party support for re-election and is expected to face a conservative primary challenge.

Lee was one of two candidates who drummed former GOP Utah Sen. Bob Bennett out of office last year by besting him in a party convention vote, scoring a victory for the tea party movement.

Hatch was elected to the Senate in 1976.

Comments

[kickinupdust]

07:40 AM on 02/14/2011

What's up with all these Orange guys?? He should be called Orange Hatch.

[ARKillackey]

12:44 AM on 02/14/2011

Rule # 1 for anyone in politics is "Before opening your mouth think to yourself, 'How is what I am about to say going to help me get what I want?'" Palin and Lee know this rule well and always use it and it works well for them because all they ever want is to get thier name in the national press.

[Carolyn LeBeauf]

11:57 PM on 02/13/2011

Mike Lee is feeling his power right about now. Just wait until 2012 when the country fines out these fools don't have an idea what going on either. They haven't a clue as to what to do about creating jos. All they are talking about is killing jobs, fellow republicans, and their hate for THE PRESIDENT. If they think this is all they have to do, I'll wait and see if MIKE LEE will be in congress longer than his first term. Got the popcorn and sitting back ready to enjoy the gong show, PHASE II. Phase one of THE GONG SHOW was their C-PAC performance.

[Lahonda]

08:48 PM on 02/13/2011

Hatch has fleas!

[Lahonda]

08:39 PM on 02/13/2011

Here come the nutzies.

[Helloise]

08:51 PM on 02/13/2011

They won't be satisfied until they just start hijacking busses of kids on their way to bible camp and depositing them into Congress with a "no" buzzer.

[nkurland]

07:26 PM on 02/13/2011

Yo baggers: maybe the problem isn't that conservatism hasn't been implemented. Maybe today's conservatism is just a hodgepodge of bad ideas.

[drmdj]

06:07 PM on 02/13/2011

Me thinks that Dr. Frankenpub has serious doubts about his monster now.

[Hillbilly49]

05:58 PM on 02/13/2011

One should appreciate the Nutz-baggers for how bizarre they truly are.

[ckfan]

04:47 PM on 02/13/2011

While waiting to be seated for dinner last night here in N. VA, hubby and I noticed a wine cage with Orrin's name on it. It read Senator Orrin Hatch. First, I thought Mormons couldn't drink. Second, hubby and I laughed and said wait until the tea party sees this. Bye, bye, Orrin.

[ZekeBundren]

11:31 AM on 02/13/2011

Good for Mike Lee.

[camelias and sweet tea]

08:34 AM on 02/13/2011

Hello Tea Party! Do you get it yet, the GOP is Pretending to be fiscally conservative, maybe this guy figured it out. Even Boehner this weekend on the radio says Maybe he should be a member of the Tea Party, think he meant it? Of course not..they are the great pretenders always have been.

[stonemann]

04:54 AM on 02/13/2011

For starters, none of the GOP candidates could do a fraction of what they proclaim they would do if they had to contend with the outrageous number of filibusters Obama and the Dems had to contend with. Next, I don't know if they realize this, but they are already under the scrutiny light since their fellow Republicans took over the House, serving as a microcosm of things to come if they do regain the White House. So far, it isn’t looking good. They preached a good game about jobs, jobs, jobs and so far hasn't initiated a single bill to address jobs. They didn't hesitate to restart their culture war though. Call me crazy, but abortion issues and redefining rape are matters that can wait when millions are out of work and on the brink. Think about it.

[InfinteShibumi]

03:08 AM on 02/13/2011

Well, Orrin. You're kinda responsible for this karmic slap you just got. If only you'd done the decent thing and tried to tamper down the violent rhetoric during the health care town halls a couple of years ago when you had the chance. I don't believe you'd have permitted yourself to foment the fray had Teddy still been around. You were, after all...friends.

[Ascoli]

06:01 AM on 02/13/2011

He was mute on the teabags ..........and now they turn on him.
You deserve it Hatch. You reap what you sow.

[camelias and sweet tea]

08:35 AM on 02/13/2011

You'd think a good Mormon would know that.. You do reap what you sow.

[LLisaLL]

04:00 PM on 02/13/2011

This is only the beginning. It's going to get ugly. Pulling up a chair with a bowl of popcorn to watch in comfort.

[Mikeeee]

10:50 PM on 02/12/2011

We need to get something established right at the beginning. As history has taught us "conservative principles' is first off an oxymoron and secondly leads to misery and bad outcomes for the majority of the population.
I risk repeating myself but I don't believe it can be said often enough until it finally starts to sink in, that conservatives hurt America and the ideals and dreams it was built on.
http://shorttext.com/pc5jc7fmaa2

[Morgan Express]

08:58 PM on 02/12/2011

Tell em Hatch... tell em how tough you are and how you served in the Armed forces.