“I’m considering it, but I haven’t made up my mind yet,” said Liljenquist. “I enjoy serving in the State Legislature, but we’ve got serious issues (nationally) that I hope all leadership will take up.”
Liljenquist has been somewhat of a “superman” lately. He was recently featured in a series about political “rising stars” in an online story by The Washington Post. The GOP leaders “picked the first-term legislator to reform the state pension system last year,” the story reads. “The plan he came up with — along with the methodical way he crafted it — won accolades even from his political opponents. A year later he took on Medicaid reform with similar results.”
Liljenquist said he’s interested in entitlement and fiscal issues nationally.
“I appreciate Orrin Hatch,” he said. “He’s given four decades of wonderful service. I wouldn’t be running against Hatch per se. I’m just looking for leadership. I would be running to change the direction of the country.”
Although Liljenquist took some heat over his tough stance on the pension system last year, then Medicaid reform this year, he continues to battle for what he believes is necessary to save the state.
“I feel really good about what we did on Medicaid (this session),” he said. “We did some good things. If we don’t solve it we’re in trouble. I’m pleased that we came out with a unanimous vote on a bill about a potentially contentious issue.”
The legislative session wrapped up in March clouded by some controversy, but Liljenquist thought it was still productive.
“We had some hiccups here and there,” he said. “But we’re cleaning up our mess. I probably won’t make a decision on whether to run (for Hatch’s seat) until fall.”
bginos@davisclipper.com
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