Sens. Bennett, Hatch plan to run again despite ages

When former U.S. Sen. Wallace F. Bennett, R-Utah, decided to retire in 1974, he said his advancing age was a key reason. He was 76. His son, current Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, plans to run for re-election next year at age 77 — when he will be a year older than his father was at retirement.

Bob Bennett would become the oldest Utahn ever to win a Senate race if he is re-elected, and serving a full term would take him to age 83.

But Sen. Orrin Hatch hopes to break that record shortly afterward in 2012, when he is already planning to seek re-election then at age 78 (and possibly serve to age 84).

"I don't think it (age) will be a factor," Bennett says. "As I move around the state, it never comes up. Now, those people who are against me for other reasons will probably add it to their pile of reasons to vote against Bennett. But as a reason by itself, I'm not finding anybody who's coming at me with it."

But historically, the question of age, or geezerhood, has ended the careers of other younger senators from Utah.

And related to that, only two of Utah's 13 former senators ever chose to retire voluntarily — Wallace Bennett and Jake Garn. All the others eventually were forced out by voters, often despite long careers and holding powerful positions at the end. Arguments about the importance of seniority did not save them.

For example, former Sen. Reed Smoot was defeated at age 72 (in 1932) despite being chairman of the powerful Finance Committee and being "dean" of the Senate (its longest-serving member) after 30 years of service. Also, Smoot was defeated even though he was an apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

At age 79, former Sen. William H. King, D-Utah, was defeated (in 1940) after serving four terms — and he was the Senate President Pro Tempore (senior member of the majority party) at the end. He was defeated by an in-party challenge by Abe Murdoch, D-Utah, who was then 54.

Former Sen. Elbert D. Thomas, D-Utah was defeated in 1950 after three terms by Wallace Bennett, who, in part, attacked Thomas' age — which was then "only" 67.

Bob Bennett remembers when his father was running for re-election himself at age 70, he was asked why he had attacked a younger Thomas earlier for being too old. Bob Bennett remembers that his father would respond, "When I was a child, I spoke as a child."

So why is Bob Bennett seeking re-election now when his father chose to retire at a younger age?