He was eliminated from the second round of voting.
Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah has lost his bid to serve a fourth term after failing to advance past the GOP state convention.
Attorney Mike Lee and businessman Tim Bridgewater are the remaining Republican candidates after Saturday’s vote.
Bennett was a distant third in the voting among roughly 3,500 delegates. He garnered just under 27 percent of the vote. Bridgewater had 37 percent and Lee 35 percent.
A primary looks likely, unless either Lee or Bridgewater gets almost all of Bennett’s delegates.
As for implications, well, here’s an obvious one: Senator Bob Bennett just discovered that you can’t be from Utah and vote like you’re from Kentucky.
Moe Lane
Crossposted to RedState.
He will run as an independent … As Crist recently said it’s all about me me me me …
Utah election law forbids a run by Bennett as an independent. He can only use a write-in campaign, and he’d better have a few townhall meetings in UT before he tries such a stunt.
I live in Utah, and I wouldn’t describe Bennett as anything other than conservative, but he’s 77 and he’s had three terms. He seems to be more at home in Washington than here.
I want someone who will work with others to change Washington, and I really don’t see Bennett doing that. I’m a firm believer in Potomac Fever, that ailment that afflicts people who spend too long in Washington, and I’ve come to believe in term limits.
I’m very glad to see that we are now willing to allow primary challenges, because I’ve always felt that conservatives haven’t had any real choices unless a seat is open. Whether dumping Bennett was a good move depends on how well his replacement does, but nobody should be afraid of dumping the new one if he’s a dud.
I hope Hatch is next.