Mitt Romney wins Republican primary in Utah senate race, as a Democrat heavyweight in New York is ousted by a Sanders socialist

Romney’s win was largely expected – but the victory of 28-year-old Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over incumbent Representative Joe Crowley is being seen as a massive upset

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Former Republican presidential candifdate Mitt Romney kisses his wife, Ann, after addressing supporters at their campaign headquarters during a primary election night party on Tuesday in Orem, Utah. Photo: AP

Published: 12:36pm, 27 Jun 2018Updated: 11:05pm, 27 Jun 2018

Former US presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s return to politics is now official, after he handily won the Republican primary for a Utah Senate seat Tuesday after toning down his criticism of Donald Trump.

Voters in Colorado, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah picked candidates on Tuesday for the November 6 midterm elections that will determine whether Republicans maintain control of both chambers of the US Congress as well as numerous gubernatorial seats.

The biggest upset of the day took place In New York, where Democrat Representative Joseph Crowley – a 10-term incumbent seen as a possible party leader in the House – was felled by 28-year-old challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, from the party’s more-liberal faction inspired by Bernie Sanders.

Romney, on the other hand, had been a heavy favourite to win the primary in the race to replace retiring Senator Orrin Hatch in Utah, where he’s a beloved adopted son.

But Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential candidate who lost to Barack Obama, was forced into a primary after a narrow loss to state lawmaker Mike Kennedy in front of a right-leaning group of core Republican Party party members at the state convention in April.

Mitt Romney holds his grandson Dane Romney, 2, while he and his wife, Ann, wave after addressing supporters at their campaign headquarters during an election night party on Tuesday in Orem, Utah. Photo: AP

During the campaign, Kennedy painted his political-heavyweight opponent as an out-of-towner who couldn’t get along with Trump. He didn’t immediately concede the race Tuesday.