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Scott Howell Says Orrin Hatch’s Campaign Money is a Problem for Utah

Andrea Smardon

Senator Orrin Hatch won the Utah Republican primary, and spent 10 million dollars in the process.  Now, Democratic challenger Scott Howell aims to turn that money against the incumbent Senator.   Howell says Hatch’s significant campaign war chest is not a problem for him.  It’s a problem for the people of Utah. 

“When you see that big money, that drives the behavior that we’ve seen in Washington DC, that gives loopholes to businesses and industries that have access that you and I don’t,” said Howell, “We’re going to end that in this campaign.”

Taking a page from Hatch’s Republican primary opponent Dan Liljenquist, Howell is challenging Hatch to debates in all of Utah’s 29 counties and vows to be there even if his opponent will not appear with him.  The former state senator says his campaign will use inexpensive methods to get his message out, including social media and old-fashioned shoe leather.  Recently retired from IBM, Howell casts himself as a moderate who can work with both parties, and says he’s focused on the economy and energy issues.

Andrea Smardon is new at KUER, but she has worked in public broadcasting for more than a decade. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and news announcer for WGBH radio. While in Boston, she produced stories for Morning Edition, Marketplace Money, and The World. Her print work was published in The Boston Globe and Boston.com. Prior to that, she worked at Seattleââ
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