Republican's exit could clear the way for Tea Party vs. GOP incumbent Bennett

[ccharles000]

Conservatives have turned to Florida as the central front in their battle with the GOP establishment, but the battle for the Republican Senate nomination in Utah could emerge as the real Tea Party contest.

State Attorney General Mark Shurtleff’s exit from the race last week paved the way for other candidates to emerge. Though none of them hold statewide offices, or even local ones, they do appear to stand a better chance of luring conservative activists.

Those activists happen to be the group Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) has problems with, and they play an outsized role in the nominating process.

Shurtleff had name recognition and was slowly assembling the money to make a serious race against Bennett, but sources say his issue positions weren’t quite doing it for the conservative crowd.

“As time went on, there were more questions about how strong a conservative Shurtleff is,” Utah political strategist Lavarr Webb said.

Tea Party organizer David Kirkham said the attorney general’s candidacy was a non-starter.

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/67429-challengers-exit-could-clear-way-for-tea-party-vs-bennett

[Hamlette]

1. wow, considering the reason he gave for leaving the race, Shurtleff's a bigger dick than I thought

he said he was leaving the race because he has a daughter with mental problems and she is suicidal so he can't run for any office right now.

If it turns out he left the race because he couldn't get enough money and/or support but he used his daughter's very private, very sad personal story as the excuse, he's a complete sleaze.

Of course, those of us in Utah have known he's a sleaze for a long time.

I'm almost ashamed for him.

Dick.