DOWN THE HATCH
If you ever wanted a perfect encapsulation of US politics, look no further than the career of Orrin Hatch. The Utah Senator first won his seat in 1976, as a fresh face campaigning against three-term incumbent Frank Moss. Crucial to the victory was Hatch’s message on term limits: “What do you call a Senator who’s served in office for 18 years? You call him home.” Orrin Hatch then went on to serve over 40 years in the Senate, with his total terms four more than Moss’s.
Hatch’s record was like a typical yesteryear Republican, largely voting the party line with some minor gestures towards bipartisanship. The longest-serving Republican Senator in US history, his seniority in the party ranks meant he was president pro tempore in his final four years of office. He belatedly remembered “oh yeah, I first campaigned on only serving so long, didn’t I” in 2018, when he announced his retirement. And now that he’s been called home aged 88, two teams get the points, including longtimer Bladerunner.
Orrin Hatch
22 March 1934 – 23 April 2022, aged 88
2 TEAMS (💀💀💀💀💀💀 6 POINTS)