2018 UT US Senate Election-Could Orrin Hatch-R lose in a general election to a Jim Matheson-D?

[nkpolitics1212]

If Orrin Hatch-R decides to retire or loses in a Republican primary, could Jim Matheson defeat the Likely Republican Nominee?
UT could be the 4th Republican held US Senate seat Democrats pick up in 2018
1)NV-Jacky Rosen-D
2)AZ (if Flake-R loses in the Republican Primary)-Randy Friese-D
3)TX-Beto O'Rourke-D
4)UT-James Matheson-D
Democrats will have 52 seats. They could afford to lose only 1 seat (Donnelly-IN,McCaskill-MO,Tester-MT,Heitkamp-ND,or Brown-OH) and be able to regain control of the US Senate.

[napi21]

1. Too soon to tell. Every election year there are always some retirements. and we don't know

who or which Party they will be from. I think a lot of it depends on the Public's feelings about the Con are then. I' not going to guess because I was so wrong last Nov. I really believed we didn't have enough foolish people in the US to elect him. I am hoping enough of them wake up and realize what they've elected by then.

[BzaDem]

2. Winning Utah or Texas would be extremely unlikely, even in a wave bigger than 2006.

Even Arizona would be a huge lift, given the demographics of midterm years.

Senate elections in 2018 are still very important, since a bad result could easily prevent us from taking control in 2020. Literally half of Democrats in the Senate are up for re-election in 2018, including five in states that Trump won by 19 points or greater (plus many more states where he won by less). If we somehow retain all seats we currently have and win Nevada, that would be a stunningly good result.

[nkpolitics1212]

3. If Democrats hold onto all of their vulnerable seats and pick up NV, They will have 49 seats.

In 2020 they could defeat Cory Gardner-CO and defeat VP Pence and regain control of the US Senate with 50 seats and the Democratic VP breaking the tie vote.