Navajo candidate announces bid as Democrat for Hatch's seat
Source: Salt Lake Tribune
He's Navajo. He's Mormon. He's a Democrat. And he plans to challenge Sen. Orrin Hatch.
Meet James Singer, the 34-year-old who believes he can unseat the seven-term Utah Republican, who appears poised to seek re-election. "Orrin Hatch has been in office longer than I've been alive," Singer joked.
Singer followed his own call for action and may be the first Utah Navajo to run for U.S. Senate. He formally filed in mid-April and has raised $3,000 in donations. He declared to the crowd of 100 people that "in 2018 there should be native people running in every contest."
Hatch at last report had $3.5 million in his campaign account.
Singer argues that Hatch has lost touch with his constituents, particularly overlooking those from tribal lands in the state where Singer's grandparents live. The biggest indication of that, he said, is how Hatch and other members of Utah's all-Republican delegation reacted to former President Barack Obama's declaration of Bears Ears National Monument.
Their repeated calls to rescind the designation do not align with Native American wishes, Singer said.
Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/home/5231712-155/navajo-candidate-announces-bid-as-democrat
a kennedy
(29,669 posts)BY A DEMOCRAT!!!!!!!
tenorly
(2,037 posts)He can always buy a cute condo in Kolob.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)Interesting,Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman have been eyeballing this spot. BTW both of the a fore mentioned have a higher standing in the Priesthood and will garner stronger support from the Sheeple in Utah.
tenorly
(2,037 posts)Hatch has been dogged by gay rumors in recent years.
Those have been fanned by tea party types, and might be fabrications. But in this day and age, that might just be enough to cause Hatch to lose his seat not to a Democrat in the general (if only!); but to a primary from the far right.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)Utah has a pecking order for all State Political offices which is controlled by a sub group of the GOP. This group is tied to the Bircher's and it is all about your standing in the Priesthood. Huntsman and Romney are at the top of this pecking order.
State of Utah is roughly 58% Mormon and that tells the story,their loyalty to any Candidate with a R after their name began in 1976 with Taft Benson decreeing the Church shall follow the GOP.
tenorly
(2,037 posts)It's always good to get the backstory behind political figures.
Now, if someone could reveal what really happened to Howard Hughes' will - that would be a great story.
mwooldri
(10,303 posts)Good. May James Singer win.
turbinetree
(24,703 posts)Judi Lynn
(160,542 posts)turbinetree
(24,703 posts)Judi Lynn
(160,542 posts)No reason they should think they can own that state forever.
Time for a REAL American, as already mentioned, gets a chance to step forward.