Outgoing Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said Wednesday that former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney would have his support if he runs to take his place in the Senate.
Hatch’s remarks come a day after the 83-year-old senator announced his retirement. President Trump had urged Hatch to stay in the seat, reportedly as an attempt to block Romney from taking the Senate spot.
“There’s no question that he loves Utah and wants to support Utah any way he can. And I’m hopeful he’ll run, because he would be just fine,” Hatch said in a radio interview on Utah’s Morning News program. “And he would certainly be somebody who I think could succeed me into the job. We haven’t spoken in the last few days, but if Mitt decides to run, he knows he’ll have my support.”
Hatch, who served in the Senate for four decades, announced his retirement on Tuesday after hinting that he may run again in 2018. Romney, a fellow Mormon, has long been rumored as a replacement for the veteran senator.
While Romney has yet to formally announce whether he will run for the seat, Hatch said he hopes Romney goes for it, but suggested there were other quality candidates with potential.
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“We’ve got some excellent people waiting in the wings. I hope, you know, especially Mitt Romney, if he wants to run. I don’t know that he will,” Hatch said. “I would certainly feel good if he did and if the folks in Utah would support him, but there are others too.”
Romney reportedly met with top Republicans last year in preparation for a possible run. Hatch said that he had conversations with Romney where he “explored with him what he had on his mind.”