Orrin Hatch, the GOP's longest-serving senator, will retire, he announced in a video on Tuesday, opening the door for Mitt Romney to run for his seat.
FLASHBACK: Senator Orrin Hatch Defends DOMA, Thinks Civil Unions Will Keep Everybody Happy
The NYT reports: “Mr. Hatch, 83, was under heavy pressure from Mr. Trump to seek re-election and block Mr. Romney, who has been harshly critical of the president. But Mr. Hatch, who emerged as one of the president's most avid loyalists in the Senate, decided to retire after discussing the matter with his family over the holidays. The veteran senator was also facing harsh poll numbers in Utah, where 75 percent of voters indicated in a survey last fall that they did not want him to run again.”
