I e-mailed this letter to Senator Bennett's office today. I will update you on how he responds. I don't count myself as one who wanted to see the Senator go down in flames. That being said, if he run's as a write-in he candidate, he could do a disservice to the Senate race, the party and his integrity.
Dear Senator Bennett,
I have followed your political career from your first campaign in 1992, and I have always liked your matter-of-fact responses to issues as they arose. In your eighteen years as a Senator, I have been pleased with your service to our state. Indeed, when you stood in opposition to growth in spending, especially Obamacare, I was proud to have you as our Senator.
In speaking to you in the past, I have been impressed by your candor on a variety of issues. In one appearance, when you were asked if you would run as a third party candidate if you lost in primary, you very frankly said “No.” I was impressed by your forthright and resolute answer.
Likewise, when your campaign didn’t survive the second round of voting in the Utah Republican Convention, I was additionally impressed by your professionalism in accepting the results. Your short, yet poignant, thanking of your supporters on face book was extremely classy and honorable.
Now there are media reports that you haven’t ruled out a write-in candidacy. I hope that these reports are simply a case of media creating news. A write in candidacy would, frankly, be beneath you. Your whole career has been one of respect to the party and the voters. A write-in candidacy would do irreparable damage to your reputation as a man of candor and honor.Write-in candidacies are very similar to third-party candidacies, and have the dubious history of, more often than not, electing the person whom the third-party candidate agrees with the least. A write-in candidacy would put you in the company of Ross Perot, Pat Buchanan, Ralph Nader, or Teddy Roosevelt (The Bull Moose).
Whether the attacks against you were fully justified or not, many of us in Utah would like to see you still fighting to get Republicans elected. I’m sure that of the remaining two candidates there is one whom you agree with more than the other. I believe that you could see your significant accomplishments continued through this new Senator. This is what the country and your state need.
A concerned citizen and Republican,
Christian J. Riehle.
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