On a day when upstart ultra-conservative challengers to the Republican establishment are feeling emboldened, Utah AG Mark Shurtleff (one prominent member of that group) is instead suspending his campaign against incumbent Republican Senator Bob Bennett:
Mark Shurtleff said he will continue to serve as Utah attorney general while he deals with his daughter’s mental health problems. He said his daughter has been placed in a treatment center.
“Today, I am announcing the suspension of my campaign for the U.S. Senate,” Shurtleff wrote in an e-mail to reporters. “This announcement comes with sorrow because I do want to serve my country, and I do believe both political parties have put this nation in grave danger by spending so foolishly that our children and grandchildren will have a difficult time recovering.”
Our best wishes to Shurtleff. We’ll have to wait and see what the long-term effect of this is… Shurtleff was the top contender against Bennett. Does Bennett skate to re-election? Does one of his lesser, even more fringe-right opponents (like Tim Bridgewater or known gnome-hater Cherilyn Eagar) grab Shurtleff’s support? Or does another prominent figure (like freshman Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who’s been eyeing the race) get in now?
I’m sorry to hear about his daughter’s problems. And I respect him for actually putting time with her now ahead of his ambitions. Usually when they say “personal reasons” or “to spend more time with my family” it is some high percentage of bullshit. But this seems like the real deal and I wouldn’t wish such problems on anybody. Take that back. But I wouldn’t wish it on this guy who I don’t know at all.