Sen. Bennett ousted at Utah GOP convention

Becomes the first incumbent to lose his seat in Washington this year

Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, becomes emotional while thanking his volunteers and family after being rejected by delegates at the 2010 Utah GOP Convention on Saturday in Salt Lake City.


By BROCK VERGAKIS



APNews
updated 8:34 p.m. CT, Sat., May 8, 2010

SALT LAKE CITY - Republican Sen. Bob Bennett was rejected Saturday by delegates at the Utah GOP convention in a stunning defeat for a once-popular three-term incumbent who fell victim to a growing conservative movement nationwide.



Bennett's failure to make it into Utah's GOP primary — let alone win his party's nomination — makes him the first congressional incumbent to be ousted this year and demonstrates the difficult challenges candidates are facing from the right in 2010.



"The political atmosphere obviously has been toxic and it's very clear that some of the votes that I have cast have added to the toxic environment," an emotional Bennett told reporters, choking back tears.

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