Write-in campaign for Bennett would likely fail

SALT LAKE CITY — Goodbye, U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett.

Hello to a more conservative Utah.

The kick out the door that GOP state delegates gave 18-year incumbent Bennett last Saturday was not a surprise.

But it was sad.

Especially when Bennett broke down emotionally while thanking his staff and family in a quickly called press conference minutes after he finished third in the second round of voting — thus being eliminated from the Republican ticket.

Bennett has not yet ruled out a write-in campaign. And there is the possibility that he could win that contest. But he could also foul up the election for the ultimate GOP nominee, either Tim Bridgewater or Mike Lee. Utah law doesn't allow a candidate to file as an independent and have his name on the ballot after being eliminated in convention or primary. A voter must literally write in Bennett's name, and that kind of an effort is tough to organize and bring off.

Bridgewater finished a strong first in the convention, Lee — who was seen as the delegate favorite going in to the Salt Palace convention — came in second.

Frankly, if Democratic nominee Sam Granato were a stronger candidate, that would tend to keep Bennett away from a write-in — as a straight GOP/Democratic race would edge out a write-in. But with around 40 percent of Utah voters favoring Bennett now (that certainly could change, up or down), and the Democrat taking only around 20 percent, Bennett could be neck and neck with the final GOP nominee.

Of course, Bennett would say that if he was elected he would caucus with his GOP buddies in the Senate, as he does now. But he would get no support from the national Republican Party in a write-in run.

Other funding sources may dry up as well (I'm talking special-interest political action committees that gave so liberally to him in the past. Then, he was a shoo-in for re-election, but a write-in now is a big gamble). Bennett is a millionaire and so could spend some of his own money. But at his age, how much of his own cash would he want to risk?

And even if he did win a write-in, this would almost certainly be his last six-year term. He likely couldn't win the GOP nomination in 2016 after abandoning his party this year.

But all this is speculation.