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Pictured: Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney is expected to win the Republican nomination for Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)’s vacated seat on Tuesday. Sen. Hatch announced his retirement in January, clearing the path for Romney to take his place despite opposition from President Donald Trump and members of his inner circle.

Romney’s opponent, state Rep. Mike Kennedy, attempted to paint the former Massachusetts governor as an outsider, but Romney is popular in Utah due in part to his work on the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics as well as being the first Mormon presidential candidate nominated by a major party.

Romney was an outspoken critic of now-President Donald Trump during the 2016 election, calling him a “phony” and a “fraud” in a speech. He has dialed down his criticism of President Trump in the past few months and won the president’s endorsement, but said that if elected, he will speak out against Trump if “it is a matter of substantial significance.”

The Republican nominee will face Democrat Jenny Wilson in the general election.

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