Only 4 U.S. Senators from Utah have retired from office

As Orrin Hatch flirts with running for an 8th term in Congress, it’s worth noting that of the 16 men who have held the office of Utah Senator from Utah, only 4 left office through retirement. The others all left office involuntarily.

Among the four who have left voluntarily, two came before the 17th Amendment called for the direct election of U.S. Senators. Both Arthur Brown and Thomas Kearns retired after being elected by the Utah Legislature. Brown retired in 1897 and Kearns retired in 1905. After he had left office, Brown was shot in Washington, D.C. by his mistress, Anne Madison Bradley, in 1906.

After the 17th Amendment had been ratified in 1913, the only two Senators from Utah who retired were Wallace Bennett in 1974 and Jake Garn in 1992. Every other Senator (save Hatch and Mike Lee who are still in office) were defeated in their bid for another term.

• Frank Cannon (Republican and Silver Republican) – Elected in 1896. The Legislature failed to elect someone in 1899, and the office stood vacant until 1901.
• Arthur Brown (Republican) – Elected in 1896. Retired in 1897.
• Joseph Rawlins (Democrat) – Elected in 1897. Failed to win another term.
• Thomas Kearns (Republican) – Elected in 1901. Retired in 1905.
• Reed Smoot (Republican) – Elected in 1903. Re-elected in 1909, 1914, 1920 and 1926. Lost re-election in 1932.
• George Sutherland (Republican) – Elected in 1905. Re-elected in 1911. Lost Re-election in 1916.
• William King (Democrat) – Elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1922, 1928 and 1934. Lost the Democratic party nomination in 1940.
• Elbert D. Thomas (Democrat) – Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1938 and 1944. Lost re-election in 1950.
• Arthur V. Watkins (Republican) – Elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1952. Lost re-election in 1958.
• Wallace F. Bennett (Republican) – Elected in 1950. Won re-election in 1956, 1962 and 1968. Retired in 1974.
• Frank E. Moss (Democrat) – Elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1964 and 1970. Lost re-election in 1976.
• Jake Garn (Republican) – Elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1980 and 1986. Retired in 1992.
• Orrin Hatch (Republican) – Elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2006 and 2012.
• Bob Bennett (Republican) – Elected in 1992. Won re-election in 1998 and 2004. Lost re-nomination in 2010.
• Mike Lee (Republican) – Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2016.