Utah is one of the most Republican states in the country, but Democrats just landed a surprisingly legit candidate against longtime GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch on Monday when Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson kicked off her campaign. Wilson is currently serving in her second non-consecutive six-year tenure on the county council, having won election to a countywide seat in 2014 and 2004. Salt Lake County covers about one-third of Utah’s population, meaning Wilson may already start out with some decent name recognition. She’s is also the daughter of former Salt Lake City Mayor Ted Wilson, who unsuccessfully ran for this seat against Hatch himself way back in 1982.
While Wilson gives Democrats a credible contender, merely calling this race a daunting challenge would be an understatement. Utah favored Trump just 45-27 over Clinton, but the 21 percent voting for conservative independent Evan McMullin largely consisted of anti-Trump Republicans who had no problem backing the GOP downballot last year. Hatch hasn’t had a close election battle since his initial victory over Democratic then-incumbent Frank Moss in 1976, and he’s likely a heavy favorite over any Democrat next year.
However, Wilson may be counting on this becoming an open seat, since the 83-year-old Hatch has been deliberately non-committal about whether he will even seek another term next year. Hatch most recently said he intends to run, but just as with his past statements, he has an annoying habit of leaving wiggle room for the possibility of a retirement. While scant polls are available on Trump’s approval rating in the Beehive State, it’s possible that he has still struggled to win over disaffected Mormon Republicans. Wilson’s entry into the race at least gives Democrats a chance here if the stars align for Team Blue in 2018.