Filings yield election intrigue
It's not an overstatement. More than 70 candidates alone filed to run for the new Jordan school district boards of education. A split of the existing district was narrowly approved by voters on the east side of the school district last fall, necessitating elections for two separate boards.
Nearly every incumbent officeholder — federal and state — face challengers in the fall election, which gives voters a choice. That's important.
The bumper crop of candidates could be interpreted a couple of different ways. Aside from their interest in politics, some candidates may be running for office because they are dissatisfied with the status quo. One longtime Republican, former state Rep. Dave Hogue, went so far as to change his party affiliation to Democrat.
Perhaps the Western States Presidential Primary, in which Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney topped the fields, has re-energized Democrats in Utah. If Obama becomes his party's nominee, public opinion polls conducted for the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV show the contest between the Illinois Democrat and Republican nominee John McCain could be a horse race — even in what is considered the reddest of the red states. Perhaps other Democratic candidates can ride that wave.
Meanwhile, incumbent Republican Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is challenged by attorney Jean Welch Hill. Hill was stripped of her special assistant attorney general status by Shurtleff after Hill fostered "an adversarial and hostile relationship" between the State School Board and the AG's Office, Shurtleff said. He made the announcement in the heat of the school voucher fight, which was later soundly defeated by voters. Hill is an education specialist in the Utah State Office of Education's Law and Legislation section.
The voucher fight lives on in the race for State School Board, too. At least two candidates who have filed for election were involved in the pro-voucher camp.
The election filings also were noteworthy because several elected officials opted not to seek re-election. Most surprising was Senate Majority Whip Dan Eastman, R-Bountiful, who served two terms. Longtime Sen. Mike Dmitrich, D-Price, Senate Minority Leader, also did not file for office, ending more than 40 years of legislative service. He had previously announced his departure from political life, however.
Obviously not all who filed for office will end up on the November ballot. But all are to be commended for their willingness to serve and lead Utah's respective levels of government.
Recent comments
Yes, my dad (oops) I mean Kent (oops) I mean Mayor Parry will be…
Another GOP Voter | March 21, 2008 at 12:38 p.m.
Msyor Kent Parry will be an excellent replacement for Sen. Eastman…
GOP voter | March 21, 2008 at 7:46 a.m.
