Sen. Hatch at Tea Party forum: ‘We’ve run this country into the ground’

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) didn’t receive the most enthusiastic of welcomes from the Tea Party on Tuesday, but there were no real fireworks between the Utah senator and a packed crowd of activists at a town hall forum in Washington.  

Hatch, the first lawmaker to arrive at a forum hosted by the Tea Party Express, heaped praise on the movement that might end up backing a primary challenge to him next year. 

{mosads}”I think it’s time to take back America, and the Tea Party is part of that,” Hatch said, adding that he has “a lot of respect for the Tea Party Express.” 

Hatch told the crowd that he’s been meeting with Tea Party activists back home, calling it “a wonderful experience.” 

“We’ve run this country into the ground,” Hatch told the crowd, highlighting his support for a constitutional balanced-budget amendment and the fight against the healthcare law.  

The Utah senator received a polite response and no tough questions, as some had predicted. But the crowd saved its real enthusiasm for Tea Party favorites like Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Allen West (R-Fla.). 

The loudest cheer of the night went to Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) after he advocated the elimination of the IRS.  

Two members of the Senate Tea Party Caucus were also in attendance — Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah). 

Hatch has been working Tea Party audiences in his home state, trying to stave off a potential primary challenge in 2012. Last cycle the Tea Party Express organized against Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah), who was ousted at the party’s state convention. 

Lee touted his own version of a balanced-budget amendment Tuesday night, saying it’s critical that either his bill or a similar version like the one championed by Hatch, pass the Senate. 

While Hatch spoke often of lessons learned during his long tenure in the Senate, his home-state colleague Lee said the upper chamber hasn’t done the public any favors in recent decades.

“With all due respect to those who have served in this body over the last few decades, our money has not been well-managed,” Lee said.