Shurtleff could be tempted by GOV race

Could Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) have President Obama to thank for a fourth term in the Senate?

Only time will tell.

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff (R) was — and is, as far as we know — all primed and ready to launch his primary challenge to Bennett on Wednesday, but Obama’s appointment of Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) as Ambassador to China may cause Shurtleff to rethink things.

Shurtleff campaign spokesman Jason Powers said he hasn’t heard from the attorney general about the governor’s race. But he also noted that, when Shurtleff was planning his next move, he polled both a primary matchup with Bennett and a 2012 governor’s race matchup with Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert (R), who is soon to drop the “lieutenant” from his title.

Upon Huntsman’s resignation, the governor’s race will move up two years, to 2010, and give Shurtleff an opportunity he didn’t know he had three days ago.

Of course, according to his tweets, Shurtleff feels pretty good about his chances in the Senate race. But one wonders what that gubernatorial primary poll looked like.

For now, though, Powers said Shurtleff is still on schedule to make his announcement Wednesday.

–Aaron Blake