The Hill News

Sen. Orrin Hatch said Wednesday that Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) would campaign for him in a Utah GOP primary if Hatch were to ask him to do so.

Hatch said he didn't expect Romney to come to Utah to campaign, but, "He would do it if I asked him to."

The veteran Utah senator is expected to face a tough primary challenge from the right as he battles for reelection in 2012. Hatch has aggressively reached out to members of the Tea Party and other conservative activists in his state, who defeated Utah Sen. Bob Bennett's bid for renomination last year at a Republican state convention.

Hatch has been a longtime supporter of Romney, who, like Hatch, is a Mormon. Hatch endorsed Romney in the 2008 GOP presidential primary, and has said he'll support Romney again in 2012 if he runs.

"We can't do better," Hatch said.