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Romney faces tough GOP crowd in Utah bid for US Senate seat

By Lindsay Whitehurst | Abbey Westbury
April 20 2018 11:53 AM

CP349893844 — FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2018, file photo, shows former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney sitting behind the wheel of a tractor during a tour of Gibson\'s Green Acres Dairy in Ogden, Utah. Romney is gearing up for arguably the biggest challenge of his Senate campaign: A Utah Republican party convention where he\'ll have to face down nearly a dozen contenders in front of a far-right-leaning audience. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)\'

SALT LAKE CITY – Mitt Romney’s path to the U.S. Senate will have him wooing an unpredictable crowd of far-right leaning Utah Republicans at the state party convention this weekend.

He is vying for the party’s nomination against 11 contenders skeptical of his dedication to the state — he moved there after losing the 2012 presidential race. His past criticism of Donald Trump has also stirred concern.

Romney already has enough signatures for a GOP primary bid regardless of what party stalwarts do at the convention.

But a loss would be an embarrassing stumble for the man seen as the likely successor to retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch.

The former presidential hopeful tells The Associated Press it’s hard to predict what will happen at the convention. Utah’s popular adopted son is the heavy favourite overall.

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