Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, has more experience in Congress than any other presidential hopeful, having served 23 years in the Senate.

He believes that makes him the best person for the job.

“I’ve been in government longer than anyone there,” Hatch told a crowd of about 25 in the Gallery of the Memorial Union Monday afternoon.

Hatch named off some of the bills he has authored during his Senate reign, saying “none of [the other candidates] have that kind of record.” In the last session, Hatch had 15 bills passed which, he said, is “more than some senators pass in 30 years.”

Steffen Schmidt, political science professor, agreed that experience is Hatch’s biggest strength. Schmidt will host Hatch on his WOI “Dr. Politics” radio show, which will be broadcast today from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

“He can probably use [his experience] to make a case that he is better suited to be president than any of the others,” Schmidt said.

But experience isn’t the only reason why Hatch thinks he’s qualified to be the nation’s next president.

“I’m very concerned about who is going to lead us into the next millennium,” he said.

Hatch said young voters also should be concerned with the presidential election. When Hatch started his first campaign for Senate in 1976, he said his victory was much to the credit of young voters who volunteered for his campaign.

“I’m finding more and more young people are taking [politics] seriously,” he said.

In 1976, Hatch filed for his first Senate campaign at the last minute, which is a tradition he kept up for the current presidential election.

Hatch filed on July 1, the same day that Texas Gov. George W. Bush announced he had hit the $36 million mark in campaign fund raising.

Schmidt said the fact that Hatch entered the race late in the game could hinder his chances for success.

“A lot of people have already written their checks, so there probably isn’t a whole lot of money that can be squeezed out for another campaign,” he said.

Hatch said he is trying to get grass roots donations in $36 increments, a number chosen because of the amount Bush had raised by the day Hatch entered the race. The fund-raising campaign has brought in about $500,000, and the total amount raised has surpassed $2 million — still a long way from Bush’s $60 million.

“If I thought money was the sole determinate in an election, I wouldn’t have run,” he said.

Hatch shared his views on a variety of questions asked by members of the audience. Hatch said he agrees with the recent Microsoft ruling, and he does not condone homosexual marriage, although he believes that homosexuals should be allowed the privileges of married couples in certain situations.

Hatch also addressed negative comments made about his religious affiliation as a Mormon.

“There is a lot of prejudice out there,” he said. “I can’t do anything about bigots or bigotry.”

Hatch said similar comments were heard about John F. Kennedy, who was the first Catholic president. Although he is a religious man, Hatch said his obligation lies with the American people.

“There are a lot of problems, and all I can say is I’m looking at them and trying to do what’s right,” he said. “I’m going to do what’s right for this country regardless of my religious background.”