Several Republican Senators say they’d like to see Mitt Romney run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Orrin Hatch.
The Hill reports that Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake and Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby would like to see Romney run this year.
“Run Mitt, run,” Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) told The Hill when asked about a Romney bid to fill the seat being vacated by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the chamber’s longest serving member.
Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said Romney “would bring another strong dimension to the Senate and a lot of leadership qualities, so I hope he will run, I would encourage him to run.”
Asked if the former 2012 GOP presidential nominee would face hurdles in Utah’s primary contest, including a possible challenge by Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah), Flake shook his head no.
“Mitt will run, I think, without real opposition,” Flake said, adding that he met with Romney over the weekend and “I hope he runs.”
Romney is reportedly preparing to jump into the race following Hatch’s retirement, which he announced last week. Hatch says he would support Romney if he decides to run.
