Will Sen. Orrin Hatch lock down his party’s nomination today? Update: Hatch falls just short

http://twitter.com/#!/DanMartin_cards/status/193553876841009152

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) is attempting to win his seventh U.S. Senate term but first he must get through his state party’s nominating convention today.  If Hatch receives 60 percent or more of the delegates’ votes, he automatically receives the GOP nomination. If he fails to do so, the race will go to a primary where the top two vote-getters at today’s convention — probably Hatch and his top challenger, State Sen. Dan Liljenquist — will square off.

Many tea party activists and movement conservatives, including Twitchy founder Michelle Malkin and FreedomWorks, oppose Hatch.  Last August, Malkin wrote:

Orrin Hatch is … is a mascot for big-spending Beltway entrenched incumbency who has consistently joined hands with destructive Democrats.

He slobbered over corruptocrat Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd.

He co-sponsored the $6 billion national service boondoggle and dedicated it to his good friend Teddy Kennedy, with whom he also joined hands to create the ever-expanding SCHIP entitlement.

He supported tax cheat Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner from day one, lavished praise on Joe Biden’s balls, and embraced and defended Attorney General Eric Holder’s nomination because, he said, “I like Barack Obama and I want to help him if I can.”

He was an original sponsor of the open-borders DREAM Act illegal alien student bailout and voted for the massive TARP bailout.

Last summer, Hatch described himself as a “tea party person” but lately he has been singing a different tune.

On Twitter, Liljenquist is a clear favorite over Hatch:

After 36 years in office Hatch can't even get a senate budget out of Reid in 1,086 days. @DanForUtah could. #itstime #utpol #utgop #utsen

— mwbowler (@mwbowler) April 21, 2012

Simple truth: If delegates vote on integrity alone tomorrow @SeanReyesAG @MiaBLove and @DanforUtah win. #utgop #utpol

— Janet Lynn (@KeepUtahReal) April 20, 2012

DUMP THE RINO! ~> Utah's Orrin Hatch faces tough re-election with challenges from own party http://t.co/zT1EuSTM #tcot

— Watch Dog's Morsels (@DanMartin_cards) April 21, 2012

@mattklewis I'm a state delegate for tomorrow's convention. Hatch is desperate and angry. He is a RINO and does not have my vote.

— Mark Scheering (@MarkScheering) April 21, 2012

https://twitter.com/#!/ComanderKoolAid/status/193535534373666817

It's time! I support @DanForUtah for Senate! Learn more at http://t.co/4Hw67WC8 via @sharethis Time to retire Rino Orrin Hatch…

— Heidi (@reshas) April 20, 2012

https://twitter.com/#!/MatthiuDuquette/status/193547051261370368

Convention tomorrow voting for @DanForUtah @morganphilpot @JohneSwallow

— Lyle Harding (@ikonkennel) April 21, 2012

#FF They've got my vote tomorrow: @governorherbert @DanForUtah @repdavidclark @seanreyesag @gopTODD and Auston Johnson. #utpol #utgop

— Natalie (@NatalieCGordon) April 21, 2012

Dick Lugar and Orrin Hatch: I hope you both leave DC with a limp from an incredible ass-kicking. #RINO #PUNKS

— Jimi (@RUExperienced_J) April 17, 2012

Leaning @DanForUtah after mtg w/ him a few more times and watching both #utsen debates. #utgop #utpol #election2012

— Marie N. (@plaidspolitics) April 20, 2012

I hope the GR8 people of Utah vote out Senator Hatch. Time 4 him 2 get the boot. We need REAL CONSTITUTIONAL CONSERVATIVES!

— Patriotancestry (@Patriotancestry) April 21, 2012

Gotta love John McAmnesty and the RINO crowd out there fighting the good fight for Lugar and Hatch. #GOP is the Whig party. #tcot #teaparty

— Jeremy Crow (@Jeremycrow4life) April 19, 2012

As the Washington Post reports, Hatch was able to stack today’s convention with supporters. As a result, he has a decent chance of reaching the 60 percent threshold.

Standing ovation for @DanforUtah at #utconvention pic.twitter.com/CO4q3tjY

— Michael Duncan (@MichaelDuncan) April 21, 2012

Liljenquist says he will turn things around — did at Bain, did in UT Senate & will in Washington. #utpol #utgop A second Bain mention.

— RobertGehrke (@RobertGehrke) April 21, 2012

Liljenquist: You can't hold balanced budget amdmnt in 1 hand & bills that make it impossible to balance budget in the other. #utpol #utgop

— RobertGehrke (@RobertGehrke) April 21, 2012

Liljenquist: Tells story of surviving a plane crash. Gave him a sense of urgency. Time to take the lead. #utpol #utgop

— RobertGehrke (@RobertGehrke) April 21, 2012

https://twitter.com/#!/rjvanbib/status/193758225580044288

I'm watching the Utah GOP convention online here: http://t.co/PsZAxOKM Next up, senate candidates' speeches. #utgop #utpol

— Brendan Steinhauser (@bstein80) April 21, 2012

My read: Liljenquist gave very strong speech. Did what he could. If he has a chance at a primary, he'll likely get it. #utgop #utpol

— Max Roth (@maxroth) April 21, 2012

Two awesome women, Mrs Liljenquist and Mrs Lee. #utgop #utpol pic.twitter.com/lmCHgf7U

— Michael Jolley (@UTJolley) April 21, 2012

After 36 years of failure in the Senate, @OrrinHatch pinky swears this is his last term, just SIX MORE years pic.twitter.com/1wCHZ3qx

— Michael Duncan (@MichaelDuncan) April 21, 2012

Update: Hatch failed to win the 60% needed to secure the nomination today. He is headed for a primary against State Sen. Dan Liljenquist.


Read more: http://twitchy.com/2012/04/21/utah-showdown-will-sen-orrin-hatch-receive-his-partys-nomination-today/

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