Bennett officially announced that he will not run as a write-in candidate. Good on him, but why did he even float the idea and why hasn’t he endorsed one of the remaining candidates?
So, Senator Robert Bennett made the right decision by not running as a write-in candidate. He had said that he wouldn’t run such a candidacy early in his reelection bid, but he floated the idea of a write-in to stay in the media spot light. That plan certainly worked. Bennett has been in the national media, with pundits hedging their bets on his future. While he is out of this race his career is certainly not over; Bennett is well connected and respected among many in the Republican establishment and can easily be a voice for his causes, like Social Security and Medicare reform.
However, the short term future still awaits Bennett’s endorsement of one of the remaining two candidates, Mike Lee and Tim Bridgewater. Here is a little secret,
Bennett made his mind up on this months ago. Think about it for a moment. The Bridgewater Campaign of 2010 is like a modern day Bennett campaign circa 1992. ‘Send business savvy to D.C., smaller responsible government promoting a more pro-growth tax system’ the two campaigns have much in common, if 18 years apart. Lee, on the other hand has taken more lofty positions, like the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Iraq, sometimes not picking his words carefully when describing these wars, “(military) meal on wheels” for instance. Which Bennett used against Lee in the run up to the convention.
When asked about Utah’s land rights issues being reaffirmed in the Supreme Court, Bennett’s response was to say that only one lawyer, who he knows, believes that the highest court would rule Utah’s way, and that lawyer (an opponent) of Bennett was using the issue to score political points. This statement by Bennett was a not particularly veiled jab at Lee. Bridgewater has shown a much more measured response on a variety of issues, from TARP to Tea Party support. Lee on the other hand has been outspoken in that he would work to disband the Department of Education, which conservatives have talked about doing since 1978. This is not to say that Bridgewater, or Bennett wouldn’t like the same thing, the latter two realize, however, that one senator can’t accomplish such a task alone.
The point is that Bennett has, by his earlier campaign statements, already endorsed Bridgewater, He just hasn’t announced it yet. I can’t say that he will endorse Tim before the primary vote, but still a majority of Bennett’s supporters should already be keenly be aware of Bennett’s endorsement by omission. So why hasn’t Senator Bob said so?
Republican Senator Jim Demint of South Carolina and writer Larry Kudlow, just to mention a few prominent voices, have endorsed Lee and both opposed Bennett’s reelection. Perhaps Bennett doesn’t want to condemn Bridgewater to the ever dangerous moniker, “establishment man.” A Bennett endorsement could be easily played as guilt by association. This may show the rather tepid approach in the Bridgewater campaign seeking the Bennett endorsement. That approach won’t change until after the primary. Then, once Bridgewater is appealing to a larger audience the Bennett endorsement will be much appreciated.
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