Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell confirmed Friday he has had conversations with Mitt Romney about running for the U.S. Senate in Utah and signaled that he could back the former Massachusetts governor if Sen. Orrin Hatch decides not to seek re-election.

“Yeah, I have had some conversations with Mitt Romney,” Mr. McConnell said in response to a question. “Obviously, I am an Orrin Hatch supporter, and Orrin has to decide what he wants to do. If he wants to run again, I am for him.”

Asked who would be a good successor, Mr. Hatch recently told the National Journal that “Mitt Romney would be perfect” and said he has shared that with Mr. Romney, the party’s 2012 GOP presidential nominee.

“I can see why he might not want to do it, but I can also see why if he did it, it would be a great thing for America,” Mr. Hatch said

Mr. Hatch is the senior Republican in the Senate and second-longest serving senator behind Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.