Bennett already faces challengers within his own party
 
Opinion
The Spectrum
 
We have more than a year to go before the Nov. 2, 2010, general election. But it looks like Utah Republicans already have some choices to make in the U.S. Senate race that will culminate that day.

Sen. Robert Bennett has said that he intends to seek his fourth six-year term in office. During his time in the Senate, he has helped pass a revised Washington County Lands Bill that had the rare trait of appealing to pro-growth and environmental groups alike. He has worked to bring high-speed Internet and better business practices to rural communities and served in numerous leadership roles on committees and subcommittees. He introduced legislation aimed at fixing the pending problems with Social Security funding, and in the past week he successfully engineered a delay in the confirmation of an Interior Department official because of a dispute over oil and natural gas leases in Utah.

But some Republicans think he's strayed too far from the conservative base, particularly on fiscal issues. And he already has two big-named opponents. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff announced this week, albeit accidentally, via the social networking software Twitter that he intends to run against Bennett for the Republican nomination. Also last week, Tim Bridgewater announced that he was forming an exploratory committee so that he could raise money and gauge support.

By announcing so early that they intend to run for the GOP nomination, both Shurtleff and Bridgewater are giving members of their party a few things to think about.

In Shurtleff, Republicans have a nationally respected state attorney general who has taken a firm stand against tobacco companies and has led on other issues such as child abduction and identity theft. His office has conducted a widespread, calculated education effort aimed at helping Utah residents stay safe from fraud and other crimes.

However, Shurtleff has his critics within the state. One issue is his perceived lack of enforcement regarding polygamy. While some residents agree with Shurtleff's policy of not prosecuting polygamy unless other crimes ensue, others argue that the state's top law-enforcement officer is failing to uphold the state Constitution by not prosecuting polygamists.

While Shurtleff has been visible in Utah politics, Bridgewater has served more in support roles. But that doesn't mean he lacks political savvy. He's been in party leadership in Utah County - in fact, he's abandoning his push to be that county's GOP chairman to run for the Senate - and has run for the U.S. House twice. In both instances, he lost contested races to John Swallow, who was defeated both times by Democrat Jim Matheson. Bridgewater ran strong campaigns, but Swallow had more support from state party leaders at the time.

Bridgewater, a venture capitalist, has the business background that many Utahns think is needed in Washington, D.C., and his "outsider" status may play to his advantage.

Both Shurtleff and Bridgewater are taking a risk by running against a three-time incumbent senator. A loss can stop or at least delay career progress in the political realm, particularly when the loss comes within the party. That's because you almost have to make enemies within the party to point out your opponents' flaws. Those are the kinds of statements that winners tend to remember. Remember, a few years ago then-state Rep. Steve Urquhart flirted with a run against Sen. Orrin Hatch. Urquhart wisely withdrew before too much political damage was done, and now he is in the state Senate as one of the state party's rising stars.

This campaign may be getting under way now, but we're more than a year from knowing just how heated the race really will be. Whatever the result, it looks like the Senate race will be anything but dull.

Contact Editor Todd Seifert at 674-6235, or via e-mail at tseifert@thespectrum.com.
 
TheSpectrum.com
Originally published Sunday, May 17, 2009
 
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