Bombshell: Sen. Orrin Hatch fails to lock up GOP nomination

http://twitter.com/#!/DanForUtah/status/193793605192785923

Today Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch failed to secure the 60% delegate vote needed to lock up the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate. He will face off against State Sen. Dan Liljenquist in a GOP primary. This is a huge victory for Utah Tea Party activists.

Deseret News:

With 59.19 percent of the vote, Hatch fell just shy of winning the Republican nomination outright at the state GOP convention. Delegates gave Liljenquist 40.81 percent of the vote in the second round of balloting. Candidates need 60 percent of the delegate vote win the nomination without a primary runoff.

Hatch calls his loss a tremendous victory:

Orrin Hatch on convention results: ‘I consider it a tremendous victory’ http://t.co/Pd4CBjz8

— Matt Lewis (@mattklewis) April 21, 2012

@rachelrhartman: Orrin Hatch tells reporters here in Utah he's "elated" about results. #utgop @YahooNews http://t.co/1GMP8404 #utpol

— Billy Hesterman (@billyhesterman) April 21, 2012

Riiiiight.

Meanwhile, his staff is putting up a brave face:

Smugness a Hatch tradition. RT @cam_joseph: Hatch's camp mgr tells me they're not worried about primary http://t.co/opd3INfR #utgop

— JB Poersch (@jbpoersch) April 21, 2012

Twitter reaction ranged from happy to orgasmic:

Huzzah! Huzzah! "@maggie82: #blogconclt – room erupts w/ applause over news that Orrin Hatch will have a primary. #tcot"

— Lake Mills Right (@lakemillsright) April 21, 2012

Thank goodness! C'mon Utah, vote for Dan! – Hatch Fails to Win Nomination at Convention; Will Face Primary http://t.co/I25JAn9a

— Nancy Clay (@NancyLClay) April 21, 2012

@KristinaRibali just let out a deafening scream of joy upon hearing the news of the Utah primary. #BlogConCLT

— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) April 21, 2012

Go @DanForUtah! Fight against the establishment! Fight against a guy who's had a lot of control over spending for past 18 years and failed.

— Monica (@ahh2fly) April 21, 2012

https://twitter.com/#!/ToddKincannon/status/193797444214071296

Kristina Ribali and @FreedomWorks deserve credit for helping force the primary.

Months of grassroots training by @FreedomWorks @KristinaRibali big part of Hatch being forced into primary #BlogConCLT

— Michael Bates (@BatesLine) April 21, 2012

How much did Sen. Hatch spend in his failed attempt to secure the nomination today? A lot:

Orrin Hatch spent $6 million to run away from his 36 year record…now faces primary in Utah. #blogconclt. @FreedomWorks

— Maggie Thurber (@maggie82) April 21, 2012

~@SenOrrinHatch spent ~$5 million to garner 2,313 votes @ #utgop = $2,162 per vote. For just $110,00 more …

— Dean Clancy (@DeanClancy) April 21, 2012

To beat Hatch in the primary, Liljenquist will need to shore up his bank account:

David vs. Goliath. @DanForUtah has $200,000 campaign chest. 6-termer @OrrinHatch w/$6 million war chest. #teaparty #utpol #retirehatch

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) April 21, 2012

On to the primary! Can we get 20 twitter followers to donate $20 by midnight? Donate at: http://t.co/8jk7vTIi #utgop #utpol

— Dan Liljenquist (@DanForUtah) April 21, 2012

Earlier Twitchy coverage here.


Read more: http://twitchy.com/2012/04/21/bombshell-sen-orrin-hatch-fails-to-lock-down-his-partys-nomination/