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U.S. Senate

(Laura Seitz/The Associated Press) Senator Orrin Hatch speaks to reporters about being forced into a primary for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate against Dan Liljenquist at the Utah Republican Party 2012 Nominating Convention at the South Towne Exposition Center in Sandy on Saturday.

Hatch withstands Tea Party opposition, for now

Last updated Monday, April 23, 2012 - 6:13am

SALT LAKE CITY — The Tea Party movement solidified its presence as a force within the Republican Party two years ago when it helped orchestrate the defeat of three-term Sen. Bob Bennett at Utah GOP’s nominating convention. But it fell short this weekend of doing the same to Sen. Orrin Hatch.

The different outcomes raise at least one question: Has the Tea Party lost some momentum or was it simply outflanked this time by Hatch, who had superior resources and tacked to the right on certain issues?

A national leader of Tea Party efforts, FreedomWorks, spent more than $700,000 through a super PAC to defeat Hatch. Yet, Hatch was able to easily advance to a primary and only fell 32 votes short of earning the nomination outright.

Convention, GOP, National Government, Politics, Republican Party, Sen. Dan Liljenquist, Sen. Orrin Hatch, Tea Party, U.S. Senate, Utah, Elections Read more Comments

Democratic Party sees record turnout at state convention

Staff Standard-Examiner

Last updated Sunday, April 22, 2012 - 10:06pm

SALT LAKE CITY — It was a record turnout for the Utah State Democratic Party annual convention Saturday at the Salt Palace.

Utah State Party Chairman Jim Dabakis called it “a great day for the Democratic family.”

“We broke attendance records ... we had great candidates to chose from, and the convention was a model of efficiency and civility,” Dabakis said.

Congress, Convention, Democratic Party, National Government, Politics, Sen. Orrin Hatch, State government, U.S. Senate, Utah, Elections Read more Comments

FILE - In this June 30, 2010 file photo, Senate Judiciary Committee member, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. Sessions told reporters Thursday, the president should take responsibility for the Secret Service, GSA and energy company Solyndra scandals and insist on a government culture in which taxpayer dollars are not wasted. He said, "I don't sense that this president has shown that kind of managerial leadership." (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

GOP Senator says Secret Service scandal shows Obama leadership weakness

Laurie Kellman The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, April 19, 2012 - 10:50am

WASHINGTON -- A Southern Republican is raising questions about whether President Barack Obama is capably leading the government.

Colombian scandal, Politics, President Obama, Prostitutes, Republicans, Secret Service, Sex scandal, U.S. Senate, National Read more Comments

Bios: GOP candidates for U.S. Senate

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, April 19, 2012 - 3:50pm

Orrin Hatch

AGE: 78

HOMETOWN: Salt Lake City

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in history from Brigham Young University; law degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Convention, GOP, National Government, Politics, Republican Party, Sen. Dan Liljenquist, Sen. Orrin Hatch, U.S. Senate, Utah, Elections Read more Comments

Democrat U.S. Senate candidates want a rematch with Hatch

Jesus Lopez Jr. Standard-Examiner

Last updated Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 4:13pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- The three Democratic candidates to the U.S. Senate have their own specific issues, but all feel there needs to be a change in how Utah is represented in Washington, D.C.

Salt Lake City residents Scott N. Howell, William D. Peterson II and Pete Ashdown each hope to be the party's candidate in November.

To do so, they will have to make it past the State Democratic Party Convention today and Saturday at the Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City. If no candidate receives 60 percent of the delegates' votes, the top two finishers will move on to a June 26 primary election.

Convention, Democratic Party, National Government, Politics, Sen. Orrin Hatch, U.S. Senate, Utah, Elections Read more Comments

Three U.S. Senate front-runners aim for 60 percent at GOP convention

Loretta Park Standard-Examiner

Last updated Thursday, April 19, 2012 - 3:57pm

Republican delegates have 10 candidates for the U.S. Senate to choose from at the state Republican Convention on Saturday.

Of those 10, three are in the front battling to get 60 percent of the delegates' votes in order to avoid a primary in June.

The three are:

BRAC, Conventions, Hill Air Force Base, Medicaid, Medicare, Politics, Republican Party, Sen. Dan Liljenquist, Sen. Orrin Hatch, Social Security, Tax cuts, U.S. Senate, Utah, Elections, Featured Read more Comments

Hatch, 2 rivals hold last debate before convention

Josh Loftin The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, April 16, 2012 - 1:36pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch meets his two key challengers Monday evening in a second and final debate before this weekend's state GOP convention.

Politics, Republicans, Sen. Orrin Hatch, U.S. Senate, Utah Read more Comments

The Top of Utah has many Latinos, but few are running for office

Jesus Lopez Jr. Standard-Examiner

Last updated Sunday, April 8, 2012 - 10:41pm

OGDEN -- Statewide, about a dozen people with Spanish last names or who identify as Latino have filed to run for elective office.

Only a few of those names are in the Top of Utah, and no Latino has filed for federal office.

The U.S. Census reports that 30 percent of Ogden's population is Latino. About 17 percent of Weber County and 8.4 percent of Davis County are Latinos, who make up about 13 percent of the state population.

City Government, Congress, County Government, Government, Latinos, National Government, Politics, State government, State Senate, U.S. Senate, Utah, Utah House of Representatives, Utah Legislature Read more Comments

Outside groups spent $1.5 million US Senate race

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Sunday, March 25, 2012 - 8:02am

SALT LAKE CITY -- Political action committees and nonprofit groups are spending more than $1.5 million on the U.S. Senate race in Utah.

Politics, Sen. Dan Liljenquist, Sen. Orrin Hatch, U.S. Senate, Utah Read more Comments

People head to their respective meetings Saturday during the Weber County Democratic Convention at the Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College in Ogden. (NICHOLAS DRANEY/Standard-Examiner)

Democrats turn out to select delegates, hear candidates

Loretta Park Standard-Examiner

Last updated Monday, March 26, 2012 - 2:45pm

OGDEN — More than 300 Democrats turned out Saturday to choose their state delegates, listen to candidates’ speeches and get revved up for November.

“We’re going to go out and change this state,” said Jim Dabakis, Utah State Democratic Party chairman.

Education, Campaign, Congress, Congressional races, Delegates, Democratic Party, Democrats, Election, Election 2012, Federal land, Federal Lands, Governorships, Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College, Politics, Public land, Public lands, Rep. Bob Bishop, Rep. Rob Bishop, State government, State Senate, U.S. Senate, Utah, Utah Attorney General, Utah Senate, Weber County Attorney, Elections, Featured Read more Comments

2 Utah debates scheduled for U.S. Senate candidates

Josh Loftin The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, March 22, 2012 - 6:27am

SALT LAKE CITY -- Republican delegates who will decide the fate of U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch will have two opportunities to hear the incumbent senator face-off against his main challengers.

Candidates, Debates, Politics, Sen. Dan Liljenquist, Sen. Orrin Hatch, U.S. Senate, Utah Read more Comments

Hatch, Liljenquist begin wooing new GOP delegates

Josh Loftin The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, March 16, 2012 - 3:12pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- Outreach to 4,000 new Republican delegates began immediately Friday for U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch and the challengers who hope to topple the six-term senator at next month's state Republican convention.

Caucuses, Delegates, Politics, Republicans, Sen. Dan Liljenquist, Sen. Orrin Hatch, U.S. Senate, Utah Read more Comments

FILE - In this Aug. 10, 2001 file photo, a tour helicopter lifts off inside the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The Senate has approved a measure clarifying that new rules planned for air tours of the Grand Canyon would not affect commercial aircraft flying over the park on the way to Las Vegas and other airports. (AP Photo/Joe Cavaretta, File)

Jets not affected by rules for Grand Canyon tours

Matthew Daly The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, March 14, 2012 - 4:26pm

WASHINGTON -- New rules planned for air tours of the Grand Canyon would not affect commercial aircraft flying over the park, under a measure approved by the Senate.

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Utah’s Lee divides Congress; more federal land debate

Charles F. Trentelman Standard-Examiner

Last updated Monday, March 5, 2012 - 10:16pm

I am sad to see Maine’s Olympia Snowe leaving the U.S. Senate.

Utah is not Maine, so normally I wouldn’t comment on Snowe, but I can’t get over the nagging thought that Snowe, a well-known moderate, is leaving because Utah’s voters elected Sen. Mike Lee two years ago.

Education, American Indians, Barack Obama, Congress, Constitution, Federal land, Federal Lands, Income tax, Mike Lee, Oil leases, Permits, Politics, President Barack Obama, President Obama, Public land, Sen. Mike Lee, Staff column, Tea Party, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Government, U.S. Senate, Utah Constitution, Utah Legislature, Wasatch Rambler Read more Comments

(NICHOLAS DRANEY/Standard-Examiner) U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch speaks to an audience at a town hall meeting at Weber State University in Ogden on Saturday.

Hatch to Utah: You need me on the finance committee

Michael McFall Standard-Examiner

Last updated Saturday, February 25, 2012 - 9:43pm

OGDEN — U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch took several opportunities at a town hall meeting Saturday to stump for his re-election.

The Republican Utah senator is running for a seventh term and intends to chair the Senate Finance Committee. He has made no secret of that intent during the past two months on his tour through the state, and he reiterated it at a town hall meeting at Weber State University.

“It’s the reason I’m running again,” he said to a crowd of at least 60 people. “(It’s) where all these problems are. Sixty percent of all spending goes through that committee.”