Sen. Orrin Hatch held a question-and-answer event in Logan on Thursday as part of his campaign for re-election.
Hatch, who is serving his sixth term as U.S. senator from Utah, said he would likely be the Senate Finance Committee chairman if he is re-elected — and if the Republicans take control of the Senate.
“One reason I’m running again is because of the finance committee, that’s the most important committee in Congress. There are many changes that need to be made and 60 percent of all spending is in that committee,” Hatch said. “We need Orrin Hatch as chairman of that committee.”
The other Utah delegates don’t have the seniority to achieve a rank such as finance chairman, according to Terry Camp, Republican Party area captain over Cache, Box Elder, Rich and Morgan counties.
“The chairman has sole power of the agenda — and it’s been 90 years since a Utah senator has been in this position,” Camp said.
Hatch said his re-election would be beneficial for Utah.
“I’m not just trying to hold onto this position,” Hatch said. “I’ve been there a long time and because of that, we can make a lot of things happen in Utah that are for the better.”
If re-elected, Hatch would be the president pro tempore — the senator with the longest record of continuous service in the majority party.
“The biggest reason Hatch will win is because he will be the finance chairman if the Republicans take over the Senate,” Camp said. “Utah will have no seniority if he doesn’t get in.”
At the event, an audience member expressed concern that President Barack Obama is not a citizen of the U. S.
“Every indication, including the paperwork, shows that the president is a U. S. citizen,” Hatch said. “However, he isn’t as committed to America as he should be. He doesn’t see America as being exceptional. He wants us to be like Europe.”
Another concern from the audience was that Obama is cutting back on the U. S. military.
“I don’t agree with what he’s doing. He’s cutting back on our nuclear arsenal at a time when Iran is developing nuclear weapons,” Hatch said. “A number of other countries are in turmoil and he’s not doing what needs to be done.”
According to Hatch, the Republicans need to take control of the presidency in order to improve the economy.
“We have more debt than we have revenue, that’s one of the reasons why I support Mitt Romney,” Hatch said. “He has extensive business experience and he’s the only one that can beat this president.”
Kyndall Peterson, Jill Dean, Lauren Handy, Cambria VandeMerwe, Heather Foster, Aaron Griffiths and Paige Sjoblom contributed to this report.
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