This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

I like Scott Howell and may vote for him to be our U.S. senator, but he's wrong to criticize Sen. Orrin Hatch as being too old at 78 for another term ("Challenger talks Hatch's age, says senator may die in next term," Tribune, Sept. 18).

A rebuttal to the age argument is the leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's run quite well by its top leaders who are more than 80.

Age isn't the issue — ability and agility are. Hatch may have power in his senior years, but his craven turn to the political right just to keep that power shows me that he doesn't have the courage and vision our nation will need in the next half-decade to address its serious challenges.

Susan Campbell

Salt Lake City