Salt Lake Tribune Editor: Orrin Hatch ‘Thinks the Seat Belongs to Him Rather than the People of Utah’

EXCERPT:

JACKSON: "To play devil’s advocate a bit, I mean, both things are on the docket for the spring, right making sure the chip gets fully funded long-term, dealing with DACA, dealing with the immigration issue could lead -- could into the beginning of 2018 there. You mentioned something interesting, though, you talked about a potential, it sounded like a missed opportunity for other candidates. Is that how you see this, Orrin Hatch staying in the Senate leading to missed opportunities?"
PYLE: "Oh, very much so. I think that he’s resting on his laurels. He thinks the seat belongs to him rather than the people of Utah. Again, ten years ago, the convention system, the Republican Party in Utah took out Senator Bob Bennett with the challenge from the right. Senator Hatch was very much afraid that the same thing would happen to him. He ran saying, 'Look, I’m the influential guy in the Senate. You don’t want to lose my power. One of the — two of the things I will do with my power are CHIP and DACA.' He did neither. There’s no particular reason to believe that he deserves another six years to do those things. Anybody who would replace him from the middle of the Republican Party would probably vote the same way."