Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch did so many favors for Raser Technologies, a green technology company in his state, that the company named its geothermal power plant “The Hatch Plant.” His role turned out eerily reminiscent of President Obama’s support for the failed solar-panel maker Solyndra. The Hatch Plant is now shuttered, and Raser Technologies has gone bankrupt.

Hatch’s Solyndra hurts Republicans in general because it highlights the hypocrisy of GOP attacks on Obama’s “picking winners and losers” and “crony capitalism.” But Raser’s collapse also hurts Hatch specifically as he faces a primary challenge from conservative Dan Liljenquist, a former state senator.