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SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah Sen. Bob Bennett is rolling out the big guns in his bid for re-election. Mitt Romney will be at Bennett's side, trying to sway voters at the state GOP convention on May 8.
"It certainly should help him more than hurt him." Tim Chambless
Bennett told The Salt Lake Tribune Monday his focus is still on face-to-face meetings with delegates rather than endorsements. Bennett said, though, his campaign was "always happy to have him show up."
There is mixed reaction on the impact Romney's appearance will have.
"It certainly should help him more than hurt him," University of Utah political science professor Tim Chambless told KSL Newsradio in a phone interview Tuesday.
Chambless said Romney showing up to the Salt Palace Convention Center may be enough to push the incumbent through, but it's a tough call.
"I believe that Sen. Bennett, as the incumbent, may very well get out of convention, but if he does it will be by just a few votes," Chambless said.
Also helping Bennett, according to Chambless, is that tea party delegates are split between Bennett's challengers.
It's unclear how persuasive Romney will be with tea partiers. He hasn't exactly rubbed shoulders with them.
"Mitt Romney is seen by many of the tea party movement people as being a kind of incumbent," Chambless said.
Chambless said the tests would not end if Bennett advances. He believes Bennett would be strongly challenged in a primary and, if he gets that far, in the general election this fall.
E-mail: aadams@ksl.com
