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U.S. NEWS Monday 23 april 2018
Mitt Romney must compete

in primary for Senate seat

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST “I’m not Goliath. Washing-
and JULIAN HATTEM ton, D.C., is Goliath.”
Associated Press Kennedy, a doctor and
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah lawyer, framed himself as
(AP) — Mitt Romney was an underdog taking on
forced into a Republican the “Romney machine.”
primary in his bid for U.S. At one point, he pitched
Senate in Utah after losing in to sweep up tiny paper
a nomination battle Satur- American flags that had
day at the state’s far-right- been shot from a confetti
leaning GOP convention. cannon hours before.
Romney remains the Delegate Matt Murdoch,
heavy favorite overall to 28, said he voted for Ken-
replace long-serving Sen. nedy because he’s a fam-
Orrin Hatch in November ily doctor serving many
and said he was ready to of his neighbors in Alpine,
keep campaigning hard. south of Salt Lake City.
If he had won the party Stay-at-home mother Mi-
delegate vote at the con- chelle Cluff said she liked U. S. Senate candidate Mitt Romney delivers his speech to
vention, he would have Romney’s experience and the delegates at the Utah Republican Nominating Convention
bypassed a primary alto- believes he is ready to get Saturday, April 21, 2018, at the Maverik Center in West Valley
gether. to work as a senator. City, Utah.
Instead, he was edged Romney was governor of Associated Press
out by state lawmaker Massachusetts from 2003
Mike Kennedy, who got to 2007.
51 percent of the vote to While in office he signed
Romney’s 49 percent. legislation that greatly ex-
GOP voters will decide be- panded access to health
tween the two in a June care through state-level
26 primary. subsidies and individual
Romney previously se- mandates to purchase in-
cured his spot on the pri- surance, much like Obam-
mary ballot by gathering acare.
28,000 voter signatures but Romney asked for dele-
said Saturday that choice gates’ votes after spend-
was partly to blame for his ing two months on the
loss. campaign trail visiting
Gathering signatures to dairy farms, taking selfies
make the ballot is unpop- with college students and
ular among many con- making stump speeches in
servative delegates in the small towns.
state who say it dilutes After his failed 2012 presi-
their ability to choose a dential campaign, he
candidate. moved to Utah, where he
The issue prompted hours gained popularity after
of debate, shouting and running as the first Mormon
booing at the convention. presidential nominee of a
Romney, 71, went up major political party.
against 11 other candi- He’s worked to keep the
dates at the convention, focus on state issues rath-
including one dressed as er than his history of well-
Abraham Lincoln, com- documented feuds with
plete with vest and bow Trump, whom he called a
tie. “con-man” and a phony
Some candidates ques- during the 2016 race.
tioned Romney’s past criti- Trump fired back that
cism of President Donald Romney “choked like a
Trump. dog” during his own White
Romney pushed back House run.
against critics who said The two men have shown
he’s an interloper in Utah signs of making peace,
politics by referring to his and Romney has accept-
role in staging the 2002 ed Trump’s endorsement
Winter Olympics in Utah. for Senate.
“Some people I’ve spoken But Romney said Saturday
with have said this is a Da- he hasn’t decided wheth-
vid vs. Goliath race, but er he’ll endorse the presi-
they’re wrong,” Romney dent’s 2020 re-election
said in his speech. bid.q