<p>Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, 83, announced Tuesday that he would not be running for re-election in 2018. The announcement was a blow for President Trump, who in December said he hoped Hatch would continue to serve in the Senate &ldquo;for a very long time.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>Hatch has been a member of Congress since 1977, making him the longest-serving Republican Senator of all time. Hatch held the title of &ldquo;president pro tempore,&rdquo; meaning he was third in line for the presidency behind Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan. ;</p>
<p>Hatch was a strong supporter of Trump&rsquo;s agenda. As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, he played a key role in helping the GOP pass its promised tax reform bill. ;</p>
<p>Expected to run for Hatch&rsquo;s seat is Mitt Romney, a Trump critic who ran on the GOP ticket during the 2012 presidential election. If Romney wins, his presence in the Senate could further complicate Trump&rsquo;s already tenuous relationship with Republicans on Capitol Hill. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Make no mistake about it: Mitt Romney is going to speak his mind if he thinks the president is saying or doing something silly,&rdquo; says former Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R).</p>
<p>Romney is widely expected to make a run for Hatch&rsquo;s seat, but he has yet to make an official announcement. ;</p>
<p>Just hours after Hatch announced his retirement, Romney changed the location on his Twitter account from Massachusetts to Utah. He was already registered to vote in Utah. ;</p>
<p>As a Republican and practicing Mormon, Romney enjoys widespread support in Utah. He also has the support of a powerful donor network should he choose to launch a political campaign. ; ;</p>
<p>Among those rooting for Romney is Evan McMullin, a former CIA agent who ran as an Independent in the 2016 presidential election. &ldquo;We must have a leader prepared to meet the challenges of our day and our future. I hope that leader will be Mitt Romney.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p><strong>Editor&#8217;s note:</strong> Despite some friction between Romney and Trump, Romney&#8217;s niece, Ronna, who is now head of the RNC has said that Mitt has &#8220;every interest&#8221; in working with Trump. ;</p>