Embattled 3-term US Sen. Bob Bennett ousted at Utah Republican convention

more images

more images

more images

more images

more images

US Sen. Bob Bennett ousted at Utah GOP convention

SALT LAKE CITY — Once-popular Sen. Bob Bennett fell victim to a growing national conservative movement with his stunning defeat at Utah’s GOP convention.

Delegates voted Saturday to bar the 76-year-old senator from seeking a fourth term, making him the first congressional incumbent to be ousted this year and demonstrates the challenges candidates face from the right in 2010.

Bennett was under fire for voting to bail out Wall Street, co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill mandating health insurance coverage and for aggressively pursuing earmarks.

“The political atmosphere obviously has been toxic, and it’s very clear that some of the votes that I have cast have added to the toxic environment,” Bennett told reporters Saturday, choking back tears.

“Looking back on them, with one or two very minor exceptions, I wouldn’t have cast any of them any differently, even if I had known at the time they were going to cost me my career.”

Bennett survived a first round of voting Saturday among roughly 3,500 delegates but was eliminated when he finished a distant third in the second round. He garnered just under 27 percent of the vote while businessman Tim Bridgewater had 37 percent and attorney Mike Lee got 36 percent.

A third round of voting was being held later Saturday to pick a winner between Bridgewater and Lee; if neither gets 60 percent of the delegates’ support in the final round, a June 22 primary will determine the victor.

“Don’t take a chance on a newcomer,” Bennett had pleaded in his brief speech to the delegates before the second round of voting began. “There’s too much at stake.”

Yet that urging, and Bennett’s endorsements by the National Rifle Association and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, did little to stave off anger toward the Washington establishment from delegates.

“The bailout bothers me. That in and of itself is unforgivable in my opinion,” said delegate Scott White, a 58-year-old general contractor from Taylorsville.

Bennett initially faced seven Republican opponents who said he wasn’t conservative enough for ultraconservative Utah. Lee, 38, and Bridgewater, 49, campaigned largely by saying they’re better suited to rein in government spending than Bennett.

“I will fight every day as your U.S. senator for limited government, to end the cradle-to-grave entitlement mentality, for a balanced budget, to protect our flag, our borders and our national security and for bills that can be read before they receive a final vote in congress,” Lee said in his convention speech.

Opposition to Bennett couldn’t be chalked up solely to general anti-incumbency fervor, however. Neither of Utah’s two Republican congressmen are at risk of losing their seats, and Republican Gov. Gary Herbert doesn’t have any serious challengers.

“I have authored bills to rein in the entitlement spending that now makes up two-thirds of the federal budget,” Bennett said. “I’ve already voted for a balanced budget amendment three times, and I will again while making certain that it won’t be turned into a tax increase for Democrats. Our tax burden is already too high.”

Some delegates, who tend to be more conservative than other Utah Republicans, were also upset he’s still in office after promising to serve only two terms when first elected in 1992.

Romney introduced Bennett on Saturday — to a mix of cheers and boos.

“Today, he faces an uphill battle at this convention,” Romney acknowledged in his speech. “Some may disagree with a handful of his votes or simply want a new face. But with the sweep and arrogance of the liberal onslaught today in Washington, we need Bob Bennett’s skill and intellect and loyalty.”

In his 2004 campaign, Bennett ran no television commercials and won a third term in the general election with 69 percent of the vote.

The 2010 campaign was clearly different. He acknowledged he should have spent more time in Utah the past couple of years letting GOP activists get to know him, but didn’t imagine Republicans would be angry enough with Washington to target one of their own.

Recently, he has said part of his problem with delegates has been that he doesn’t go on conservative cable talk shows and offer angry sound bites. Instead, he said he likes to work on finding practical solutions.

Utah’s unique nominating process also played a critical role in his defeat. The 3,500 delegates wield enormous power and can decide the fate of entire elections in a state of nearly 3 million. The winner of the Republican race is all but guaranteed victory in November over Democratic nominee Sam Granato because Utah is so overwhelmingly GOP.