Bennett on write-in bid: 'Stay tuned'

[ccharles000]

Fresh off a stinging primary defeat, Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) hinted today that he is considering a bid as a write-in candidate in 2010.

In the days following his defeat, Bennett was tight-lipped about running without the support of the GOP, saying only he had "made the firm decision to not make any decisions."

Today, however, he went a little further:

Asked in an interview whether he would pursue the write-in route, Bennett offered his standard line: "Once I make that decision, you'll be the second to know," he said. But Bennett, 76, then added, "Stay tuned tomorrow." Asked if that meant he would announce his decision tomorrow, Bennett repeated, "Stay tuned tomorrow."

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/98711-bennett-on-write-in-bid-stay-tuned

[WeDidIt]

1. Split the Mormon vote in Utah?

It's the apocalypse!

[Renew Deal]

2. I think he should run.

Besides the fact that it helps us. I think what happened to him is undemocratic and wrong.

[customerserviceguy]

4. Helps us?

This is Utah, Democratic candidates don't win statewide office, period. Yes, oddly enough, SLC can elect a Democratic officeholder every once in awhile, since there are a lot of non-Mormons in that city (believe it or not). But in suburban SLC, it's 90% true-believing Mormon, and that's where the vast majority of Utah voters live.

An hour north, or an hour south of SLC, you have very, very few people except for a couple of relatively small cities. And they're mainly Mormon, too.

[Renew Deal]

5. The republican vote gets split

And there's a possibility the Dem can win, though I saw a poll number that Bennett has a 43% approval from Dems which is pretty good (for him). But it also means more money gets spent in Utah and there's a storyline about republican division. It's all positive.

[customerserviceguy]

7. Nope, it won't get split

"The Church" will tell Mormons who to vote for, and you won't have anything less than 40% for who they back. Mormons are used to having their leaders do their thinking for them.

[WI_DEM]

6. Actually Dems can do very well in say SLC (look at the former progressive may of SLC Rocky Anderson)

The Democrat in 2006 senate election against Hatch got around 32%. If dems field a strong enough candidate (perhaps Anderson himself) that percentage could go up to 35-40 percent. If the GOP vote is split then Dems have a shot.

[customerserviceguy]

8. I've always acknowledged that SLC

is different, there are many Hispanic Catholics there who will do whatever they can to piss of the Mormons, but even the first ring of 'burbs outside of SLC is 90% Mormon. I know, I lived in Kaysville for about six months in 2005. They would just tuck a church bulletin under my front doormat, assuming everybody in town would want one.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. He could do it and it wouldn't amount to much...

Maybe he could pull in 10% of the vote. But the margin between the Republican and Democrat will probably be at least 30%. So even then, the Republican wins in a blowout.

Bennett could ultimately make noise if he endorsed Sam Granato, the Democrat who is running.

http://www.voteforgranato.com/

But he'd never do that.