| Election Name: | 2012 United States Senate election in Utah |
| Country: | Utah |
| Flag Year: | 2011 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 United States Senate election in Utah |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2018 United States Senate election in Utah |
| Next Year: | 2018 |
| Turnout: | 55.4% (voting eligible)[1] |
| Image1: | File:Orrin Hatch 113th Congress.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Orrin Hatch |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 657,608 |
| Percentage1: | 65.31% |
| Nominee2: | Scott Howell |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 301,873 |
| Percentage2: | 29.98% |
| Map Size: | 230px |
| U.S. Senator | |
| Before Election: | Orrin Hatch |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Orrin Hatch |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 2012 United States Senate election in Utah took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and as various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch won re-election to a seventh term against the Democratic candidate, former state Senator and IBM executive Scott Howell, in a rematch of the 2000 Senate election.[2] This would be the last time Hatch was elected to the Senate before his retirement in 2018.
Orrin Hatch won re-election to a sixth term after winning 62.5% of the vote against Pete Ashdown in the 2006 U.S. senatorial election in Utah. Tea Party activists targeted Hatch for a primary challenge, similar to the victory of Mike Lee over Bob Bennett in the 2010 election.[3]
Declared
Declined
In 2006, incumbent Orrin Hatch won re-election to a sixth term. In 2008, Chaffetz defeated the incumbent Republican U.S. Representative, Chris Cannon, in the 2008 primary for Utah's 3rd congressional district. In 2010, Mike Lee defeated Bob Bennett in the 2010 Utah Senate election.[3] In March 2011, just-elected U.S. Senator Mike Lee said he will not endorse Hatch in the primary.[15] In May 2011, Chaffetz told several Utah political insiders that he plans to run. He said he won't make an official decision until after Labor Day of 2011.[16]
In June 2011, prominent conservative radio talk show host Mark Levin endorsed Hatch.[17] The fiscally conservative 501(c)4 organization Club for Growth encouraged Chaffetz to run. The group cited Hatch's support for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, State Children's Health Insurance Program, No Child Left Behind Act, Bridge to Nowhere, and other votes among the reasons why they opposed his re-election.[18] In an interview with Politico, Chaffetz stated, "After 34 years of service, I think most Utahans want a change. They want to thank him for his service, but it's time to move on. And for me personally, I think he's been on the wrong side of a host of major issues." The congressman cited Hatch's vote in favor of Equal Opportunity to Serve Act and the Health Equity and Access Reform Today Act of 1993.[19] However, Chaffetz ultimately decided against a run.
In a January 2012 UtahPolicy.com poll of 1,291 Salt Lake County Republican caucus participants, 42% went for Hatch, 23% Liljenquist, 5% Herrod, and 30% were undecided.[20] In a January 28, 2012 straw poll of 194 votes at the Box Elder County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner, 42% went for Liljenquist, 41% for Hatch, and 17% for Herrod.[21]
After the convention, Hatch had $3 million more than Liljenquist.[22]
| Poll source | Orrin Hatch | Dan Liljenquist | Other/ Undecided | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Utah Data Points/Key Research[23] | June 12–19, 2012 | 500 | ±4.4% | 56% | 25% | 18% | ||
| align=left | Deseret News/KSL-TV[24] | June 15–21, 2012 | 737 | ±3.6% | 60% | 32% | 8% |
Declared
Howell defeated Ashdown 63%-37% to win and avoid a primary.[27]
| Candidate (party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash on hand | Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Howell (D) | $421,086 | $420,779 | $306 | $0 | |
| Orrin Hatch (R) | $11,577,851 | $13,140,209 | $779,719 | $515,845 | |
| William Barron (I) | $17,157 | $14,116 | $3,038 | $0 | |
| Source: Federal Election Commission[29] [30] [31] | |||||
| Scott Howell | Contribution | Orrin Hatch | Contribution | William Barron | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Union of Operating Engineers | $10,000 | OC Tanner Inc | $72,010 | Peace River Citrus Products | $2,000 |
| Altaview Orthodontics | $5,000 | Cancer Treatment Centers of America | $67,500 | Cirque Property | $1,000 |
| International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers | $5,000 | Cerberus Capital Management | $65,000 | ||
| International Association of Iron Workers | $5,000 | Fresenius Medical Care | $65,500 | ||
| Intermountain Healthcare National Education Association | $5,000 | Blue Cross & Blue Shield | $54,500 | ||
| Shurtleff Construction | $5,000 | Ernst & Young | $53,000 | ||
| St Mark's Hospital | $5,000 | PricewaterhouseCoopers | $42,008 | ||
| United Steelworkers | $5,000 | Herbalife International | $41,900 | ||
| Sutter Health | $4,500 | Marriott International | $39,500 | ||
| IBM Corporation | $3,150 | Apollo Global Management | $39,000 | ||
| Source: OpenSecrets[32] | |||||
| Scott Howell | Contribution | Orrin Hatch | Contribution | William Barron | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retired | $43,100 | Financial Institutions | $1,113,746 | Retired | $4,050 |
| Health Professionals | $17,000 | Pharmaceuticals/Health Products | $834,601 | Agribusiness | $2,000 |
| Building Trade Unions | $15,000 | Lobbyists | $508,567 | Real Estate | $1,000 |
| Hospitals/Nursing Homes | $14,500 | Insurance | $495,968 | Education | $750 |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $12,250 | Lawyers/Law Firms | $479,871 | Misc Business | $500 |
| Industrial Unions | $10,000 | Health Professionals | $447,415 | ||
| General Contractors | $7,500 | Real Estate | $412,394 | ||
| Automotive | $5,000 | Health Services/HMOs | $396,132 | ||
| Public Sector Unions | $5,000 | Leadership PACs | $394,550 | ||
| High-Tech Industry | $4,900 | Oil & Gas | $391,878 | ||
| Source: OpenSecrets[33] | |||||
| Source | Ranking | As of | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | The Cook Political Report[34] | November 1, 2012 | ||
| align=left | Sabato's Crystal Ball[35] | November 5, 2012 | ||
| align=left | Rothenberg Political Report[36] | November 2, 2012 | ||
| align=left | Real Clear Politics[37] | November 5, 2012 |
| Poll source | Orrin Hatch (R) | Scott Howell (D) | Other/ Undecided | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Deseret News/KSL-TV | June 15–21, 2012 | 1,228 | ±2.8% | 63% | 29% | 8% | ||
| align=left | Utah State University[38] | October 8–13, 2012 | n/a | ±7.6% | 67% | 24% | 9% | ||
| align=left | Key Research[39] | October 9–13, 2012 | 500 | ±4.4% | 61% | 22% | 17% | ||
| align=left | Deseret News/KSL[40] | October 26 – November 1, 2012 | 870 | ±3.4% | 63% | 26% | 11% |
with Dan Liljenquist
with Jason Chaffetz
| Poll source | Jason Chaffetz (R) | Jim Matheson (D) | Undecided | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Deseret News/KSL-TV[42] | June 13–16, 2011 | 406 | ±5.0% | 46% | 45% | 8% | ||
| align=left | Public Policy Polling | July 8–10, 2011 | 732 | ±3.6% | 42% | 47% | 11% | ||
| align=left | Mason-Dixon[43] | August 8–10, 2011 | 625 | ±4.0% | 49% | 43% | 8% |
with Orrin Hatch
| Poll source | Orrin Hatch (R) | Jim Matheson (D) | Undecided | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Deseret News/KSL-TV | June 13–16, 2011 | 406 | ±5.0% | 47% | 47% | 6% | ||
| align=left | Public Policy Polling | July 8–10, 2011 | 732 | ±3.6% | 44% | 45% | 11% | ||
| align=left | Mason-Dixon | August 8–10, 2011 | 625 | ±4.0% | 48% | 43% | 9% |
Republican primary
| Poll source | Orrin Hatch | Jason Chaffetz | Undecided | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Deseret News/KSL-TV | June 13–16, 2011 | 406 | ±5.0% | 47% | 44% | 10% | ||
| align=left | Public Policy Polling[44] | July 8–10, 2011 | 406 | ±4.9% | 43% | 47% | 10% | ||
| align=left | Mason-Dixon | August 8–10, 2011 | 305 | ±5.7% | 49% | 39% | 12% |
Hatch won all 4 congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat.[45]
| District | Hatch | Howell | Representative | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 69.84% | 25.63% | Rob Bishop | |||
| 60.84% | 33.85% | Chris Stewart | |||
| 70.35% | 25.14% | ||||
| 59.92% | 35.62% | Jim Matheson | |||
Official campaign websites