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Issues/News>
Chaffetz Considers Running for Congress (Tribune)
January 2, 2007
The Salt Lake Tribune
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
U.S. House of Representatives
Ex-Huntsman staffer may battle Cannon
Republican Jason Chaffetz says the GOP wasted an
opportunity when they had it
By Jennifer W.Sanchez
The Salt Lake Tribune
Jason Chaffetz moved to Utah as an agnostic Democrat.
Now, more than 20 years later, the former chief of staff to
Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. wants to run as a Mormon Republican
for Congress and hopes to kick out 10-yar veteran Rep.
Chris Cannon.
Chaffetz announced Monday in an informal news conference in
Salt Lake City that he is considering running for the
nomination in the 3rd Congressional District. It would be
his first bid for political office.
The 39-year old businessman said he is a "frustrated
conservative" who is "hungy and excited" about winning over
voters by going back to Republican values and principles.
Chaffetz said the Republicans, who lost control of Congress
to Democrats in November, "had a chance to make some major
changes and they didn't do it."
"The country saw the Republicans acting in an unethical
way, and the country made a change," he said. "It was the
fault of how the Republicans acted, and we'll pay the
price."
Chaffetz said he and Cannon havevery different views on
immigration, nuclear waste and education. But he declined
to go into any details on his policy ideas, saying he'll be
talking about them along the campaign trail.
Chaffetz plans to file a "statement of organization" to the
Federal Election Commission this week so he can start a
fundraising campaign and start talking to fellow
Republicans, who are to hold caucuses in March 2008 to
discuss election nominations.
Joe Hunter, Cannon's chief of staff, said, "it's a bit
early to start a campaign."
"Right now, Congressman Cannon is focused on the session of
Cngress that is commencing this week, and upon protecting
Utah's interests in a House of Representatives led by Nancy
Pelosi," Hunter wrote in an e-mail. "When the time comes
to have a campaign, we'll have one."
Chaffetz acknowledged it is a bit early to start
campaigning, but said he would rather "get out sooner
rather than later." He added that his experience as
Huntsman's campaign manager and later as is chief of staff,
as well as the contacts he made then, would help his
congressional campaign.
"I was trained and mentored by the best in Gov. Huntsman,"
he said. Mike Mower, who replaced Chaffetz as chief of
staff, said Monday that it's too early or the governor to
make "any formal endorsement.
Huntsman does plan to get involved when the Republicans
pick a candidate, he said.
(This news article originally appeared in The Salt Lake
Tribune as written byJennifer W. Sanchez on 1/2/07).
(Tip of the day: Jason's last name is pronounced "Chay-fits")
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