Earlier this month Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, announced that he won’t retire from the Senate and intends to run for an eighth term.
Hatch told CNN on March 9 that he would seek re-election, even though he said in 2012 that his upcoming election would be his last.
Hatch said he changed his mind because President Donald Trump and top Republicans wanted him to stay.
Hatch’s office said in a statement that the senator doesn’t want to leave office yet.
"While he has not made a final decision about his plans for 2018, he has made plans thus far to ensure all options remain on the table. His focus remains on the many fast-moving agenda items in the Senate like repealing and replacing Obamacare and confirming Judge (Neil) Gorsuch to the Supreme Court," according to the statement.
Though Hatch may not be out the door, there have been several Utah politicians — senators, representatives and governors — who retired from their post. Here’s a look.
GOVERNORS
- George Henry Dern (Democrat)
Elected: 1925 Retired: 1933
Dern left his post in 1933 once Franklin D. Roosevelt called him to be secretary of war, according to Utah History to Go.
- Henry H. Blood (Democrat)
Elected: 1933 Retired: 1941
According to the Utah Education Network, Blood left his position in 1941 as he accepted a mission call to California for the LDS Church.
- George Dewey Clyde (Republican)
Elected: 1957 Retired: 1965
Clyde chose not to run for a third term. He retired to private life where he became an engineering consultant, according to the Utah State Archives.
- Calvin L. Rampton (Democrat)
Elected: 1965 Retired: 1977
Rampton retired from government work in 1977 and returned to private law.
- Scott Milne Matheson (Democrat)
Elected: 1977 Retired: 1985
Matheson decided not to run for a third term in 1985.
- Norman H. Bangerter (Republican)
Elected: 1985 Retired: 1993
Bangerter announced he wouldn’t run for re-election in 1993. He retired to private life thereafter, according to the Utah State Archives.
- Mike Leavitt
Elected: 1993 Retired: 2005
Leavitt presided in office for 10 years before President George W. Bush nominated him as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, forcing Leavitt to resign his governorship.
- Jon Huntsman Jr. (Republican)
Elected: 2005 Retired: 2009
Huntsman left his governor position when former President Barack Obama named him ambassador of China.
REPRESENTATIVES
- William Henry Hooper (Democrat)
Elected: 1859 Retired: 1861
Hooper did not seek re-election in 1872. He went on to work in mercantile and mining operations, according to a biographical directory of Congress.
- John Thomas Caine (Democrat)
- Caine did not seek re-election in 1892, aaccording to a biographical directory of Congress. He ran for governor in 1895 but was unsuccessful. Clarence Emir Allen (Republican)
Elected: 1896 Retired: 1897
Allen declined an opportunity for renomination in 1896, according to a biographical directory of Congress.
- Elmer O. Leatherwood (Republican)
Elected: 1921 Retired: 1929
Leatherwood served in office from March 4, 1921, until he died on Dec. 24, 1929, according to a biographical directory of Congress.
- Henry Aldous Dixon (Republican)
Elected: 1955 Retired: 1961
Dixon did not seek re-election in 1960, according to a biographical directory of Congress. He became an instructor at BYU.
- Laurence Burton (Republican)
Elected: 1963 Retired: 1971
Burton was not a candidate for re-election in 1970. He did attempt to become a senator but was unsuccessful.
- David Smith Monson (Republican)
Elected: 1985 Retired: 1987
Monson decided not to seek re-election in 1986, according to Utah History. He faced a competitive opponent in Democrat Wayne Owens, and polls didn’t show him finding favor among Utah voters. He returned to private life and became a certified public accountant.
- Jim Matheson (Democrat)
Elected in Utah's 2nd District: 2001 Elected in Utah's 4th Distirct: 2013
Retired: 2015
Matheson said he wouldn't seek re-election in 2014 after more than 10 years in office. He said at the time he still wanted to help serve the community.
- James Vear Hansen (Republican)
Elected: 1981 Retired: 2003
Hansen did not seek re-election in 2002, according to a biographical directory of Congress.
SENATORS
Utah has seen four of its senators retire, according to UtahPolicy.com. Two of the senators retired before the 17th Amendment called for senators to be directly elected by the people.
Here are the four:
- Arthur Brown (Republican)
Elected: 1896 Retired: 1897
Brown was elected by the Utah Legislature but retired in 1897, according to UtahPolicy.com.
- Thomas Kearns (Republican)
Elected: 1901 Retired: 1905
Kearns was also elected by the Utah Legislature before retiring in 1905.
- Wallace F. Bennett (Republican)
Elected: 1950 Retired: 1974
Bennett retired in early 1975.
- Jake Garn (Republican)
Elected: 1974 Retired: 1992
Garn said in 1991 that he planned to retire so he could spend more time with family.