Republican politician Orrin Hatch, a lawyer by profession, is the longest-serving Republican senator in the history of the United States. He has represented the state of Utah since 1977 as its senior senator. The Senate seat was his first candidacy, and since the dethronement of three-year-old Democrat Frank Moss, Hatch has never faced major opposition and has been re-elected more than five times – an incredible track record that has lured other Mormons into the Republican party.
Orrin Hatch is a strong advocate of conservative values (many of which he brought to the legislature) and perhaps one of the most unbiased conservatives in American politics, having joined forces with the Democrats to support laws he believes in. Hatch loudly supported Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign for the country’s highest office. In early 2018, the longtime senator announced his resignation at the end of his 7th term.
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Orrin Hatch Biography
Orrin Grant Hatch was born on March 22, 1934, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he also grew up. Hatch was born the son of Helen Frances and Jesse Hatch. His father Jesse’s work as a metal foamer was hardly enough to support Orrin and his 8 siblings. Unfortunately, two of his siblings died in infancy. Determined to escape the poor conditions in which he had grown up, Orrin was to become the first member of his family to receive a college degree.
Despite his diligence towards his academics, Hatch did not ignore other aspects of life. As a young boy, he began to take an interest in boxing and fought in 11 fights at an amateur level. Hatch also developed a passion for music and continued to develop his musical side as he pursued his legal career. Shortly after receiving his doctorate in 1962, Orinn Hatch began practicing law in Pittsburgh. Seven years later he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, to continue his law practice.
After living in Utah for five years and raising his family there, Orrin Hatch began his political career. In the 1976 elections, he ran for his first public office, the Utah Senate seat, winning and dethroning three-year Democratic incumbent Frank Moss. More than a decade later, Hatch was to defeat Moss’s son, Brian Moss, in his 1988 re-election candidacy.
Hatch entered the race to enter the White House in 2000 but resigned after failing to secure the Republican nomination, which went to then-Texas Governor George W. Bush, who won the general election. Over the years, Orrin Hatch has become a leading voice among the Conservatives.
No other legislator has introduced more bills than Orrin Hatch. During his time in the Senate, he served on many committees, including the Committee on Finance, Justice, Taxes, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Orrin Hatch was appointed President pro tempore of the Senate in January 2015.
Education
Hatch graduated from Baldwin High School in Pittsburgh. He received a B.A. in History from Brigham Young University in 1959 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1962. During his time at law school, Hatch is said to have lived in a renovated chicken coop behind his parents’ house.
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Orrin Hatch Net Worth
Orrin Hatch increases his income as a Senator through diversified investments. The Senator has made lucrative investments in various sectors, including real estate, finance, energy, and insurance. Hatch’s musical works have earned him tens of thousands of dollars. His records with the LDS are said to have earned him over $10,000. The Senator’s net worth was estimated at about $5 million.
Spouse And Children
Senator Orrin Hatch is married to Elaine Hansen. They entered into the covenant of marriage on August 28, 1957, and have been married since then without any scandal. The long-standing couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 2017. Hatch used social media to publish a photo of himself and his Eliane with a balloon marked “60”. The photo was accompanied by a caption in which Hatch raved about the love of his life and described her as a wonderful companion.
Hatch and his spouse have 6 children together. They include three sons – Scott, Brent, Jesse – and three daughters – Marcia, Alysa, and Kimberly. One of Orrin’s sons, Scott, works as a lobbyist for the Washington-based lobbying firm Walker, Martin & Hatch LLC. Hatch and his wives are proud grandparents of 23 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.