Editing Orrin Hatch (section)

=== 2012 Senate election ===
{{Main|2012 United States Senate election in Utah}}
After the defeat of Utah's Senator [[Bob Bennett (politician)|Bob Bennett]] in 2010, conjecture began as to whether six-term Senator Hatch would retire in 2012. It was also speculated that Congressman [[Jason Chaffetz]] would run against Hatch, though Chaffetz would later decline. In January 2011, Hatch announced his campaign for re-election.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.deseret.com/2011/1/20/20168381/sen-orrin-hatch-will-seek-reelection |title=Sen. Orrin Hatch will seek reelection |publisher=[[Deseret News]] |date=January 20, 2011 |access-date=May 5, 2022 |archive-date=February 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220162135/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700102384/Sen-Orrin-Hatch-will-seek-reelection.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Later, nine other Republicans, including former State Senator [[Dan Liljenquist]] and then-State Legislator [[Christopher Herrod|Chris Herrod]], declared campaigns for U.S. Senator.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://utahgop.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/ussenate/ |title=Election Results: U.S. Senate Candidates |publisher=Official blog for the Utah Republican Party |date=April 21, 2012 |access-date=May 9, 2012 |archive-date=April 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425092605/http://utahgop.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/ussenate/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://elections.utah.gov/election-resources/2012-candidate-filings |title=2012 Candidate Filings |publisher=Utah Lieutenant Governor Elections |date=April 25, 2012 |access-date=May 9, 2012 |archive-date=May 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502074924/http://elections.utah.gov/election-resources/2012-candidate-filings |url-status=live }}</ref>

Having elected state delegates in mid-March, both the Democratic and Republican parties held conventions on April 21, with the possibilities to determine their nominees for the November general election. At the Republican convention, Hatch failed to get the 60% vote needed to clinch the Republican nomination, so he faced Liljenquist (the second-place finisher) in the June 26 primary.<ref name=April21ConvDeseret /> Hatch won the primary easily.<ref>{{cite web |author=Dennis Romboy |url=https://www.deseret.com/2012/6/27/20421150/sen-orrin-hatch-easily-wins-primary-election-against-former-state-sen-dan-liljenquist |title=Sen. Orrin Hatch easily wins primary election against former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist |publisher=[[Deseret News]] |date=June 26, 2012 |access-date=May 5, 2022 |archive-date=September 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903185226/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765586210/US-Sen-Orrin-Hatch-wins-Utah-Republican-primary.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It was Hatch's first primary competition since his election in 1976. The Democratic convention chose former state senator and [[IBM]] executive [[Scott Howell (U.S. Senate candidate)|Scott Howell]] as the Democratic Party candidate. Hatch defeated Howell, receiving 65.2% of the vote to Howell's 30.2%.<ref name=April21ConvDeseret>{{cite web |url=https://www.deseret.com/2012/4/21/20501625/sen-orrin-hatch-forced-into-primary-for-first-time-since-76-faces-dan-liljenquist-in-june |title=Sen. Orrin Hatch forced into primary for first time since '76, faces Dan Liljenquist in June |date=April 21, 2012 |access-date=May 5, 2022 |work=[[Deseret News]] |archive-date=May 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512021507/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865554450/Hatch-Liljenquist-locked-into-second-round-of-voting-for-GOP-nomination.html |url-status=live }}</ref>