Poll says Rep. Jim Matheson could beat Sen. Orrin Hatch next year

The Deseret News ^ | August 7, 2011 | Jamshid Ghazi Askar,

[Clintonfatigued]

If the possibility of Matheson competing with the likes of Hatch or Chaffetz for a Senate seat in Republican-dominated Utah seems far-fetched, think again: a recent Deseret News/KSL-TV poll by Dan Jones & Associates showed a Matheson-Hatch matchup tied at 47 percent, and in another hypothetical Chaffetz barely led Matheson, 46 percent to 45 percent.

[OddLane]

Yet another reason to nominate Jason Chaffetz.

[Clintonfatigued]

I expect that if Jim Matheson runs, the Presidential race will be a drag on him. However, Republicans cannot take this race for granted.

I hope that Jason Chaffetz is the nominee.

[oyez]

Perhaps Hatch is due for replacement by new Republican “blood”. Hatch has been in Washington or so long that he has become more familiar with the lobbies than he is with the fine people of Utah.

[TNCMAXQ]

Didn’t Matheson have a hard time getting reelected to the House last year? Hard to believe UT would elect a Demo senator for the first time since 1970. It would be very bad to lose any GOP seat next year though since it is going to be tough enough for them to make the net gain of 4 they need for a majority.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Beat the old woman? The one who has been on the public dole nigh 50 years? The one who called WW2 seniors “ greedy “ ?

F him!

[org.whodat]

Hatch is just like bobdole, he lives in Washington DC and gives lip service to living in Utah. He and bobdole would make a good billboard for advertising term limits. And since his good friend ted went on down the road, no one will miss hatch either.

[colorcountry]

Hatch needs to be the gentleman he is, and gracefully bow out and endorse whomever the Republican is that will fill his seat....hopefully it will be Chaffetz.

[VRWC For Truth]

Saggy Booby Hatch needs to be flushed.

[Fred]

Time for Hatch to retire.

[Pining_4_TX]

Yes, and now Hatch is suddenly talking like a conservative. It’s very difficult to beat an incumbent, no matter how much of a boob he is. Perfect example - John McCain.

[Andyman]

There is NO WAY Matheson would beat Hatch. That being said, I do not want Hatch as the nominee.

[TBP]

Chaffetz is a principled candidate who cna win; Hatch is an Establishment compromiser who can’t.

[TBP]

Chaffetz is a principled candidate who cna win; Hatch is an Establishment compromiser who can’t.

[Dick Vomer]

find the RINOs and just run them out on a rail. I'd rather have a democrat than a pathetic old fop like McStain.

I'm sorry, that's the Hobbit in me coming out...

[AuH2ORepublican]

So we’re supposed to believe that Utah will send a pro-abortion, “moderate” Democrat to the U.S. Senate in a presidential election year? Ridiculous.

Either Hatch or Chaffetz will win, although if Matheson runs it won’t be the usual GOP blowout. I’d rather have the more conservative Chaffetz run rather than Hatch, but it’s not as if Hatch is Lincoln Chafee (or even Dick Lugar, for that matter), so if UT Republicans nominate Hatch I won’t lose any sleep over it.