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Issues/News>
(Chaffetz) Considers run for 3rd District (Herald)
January 2, 2007
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Governor's ex-chief of staff considers run for 3rd District
By Alan Choate, Daily Herald
U.S. Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, was re-elected just two
months ago, but already a potential challenger is sniffing
around -- Jason Chaffetz, former chief of staff for Gov.
Jon Huntsman Jr. and the governor's campaign manager.
Chaffetz said Monday that he's "testing the waters" for a
congressional bid in Utah's 3rd District, which includes
most of Utah County. He's starting now because of the
chance that Utah will receive a fourth congressional seat
this year, which would trigger a special election.
"That could speed this process up and put us in a situation
where the election could be just a couple of months away,"
Chaffetz said. "We're in a very peculiar cycle,
potentially."
Joe Hunter, Cannon's chief of staff, said that "it's a bit
early to start a campaign."
"Right now, Congressman Cannon is focused on the session of
Congress that is commencing this week and upon protecting
Utah's interests in a House of Representatives led by Nancy
Pelosi (D-Calif.)," Hunter said. "When the time comes to
have a campaign, we'll have one."
Before working for Huntsman, Chaffetz was a place-kicker
for the Brigham Young University football team from
1985-1989 and put in 11 years at Nu Skin Enterprises. He
served on the Highland Planning Commission and is a trustee
at Utah Valley State College.
Currently, he's president of Maxtera Utah, Inc., a business
management firm, and lives in Alpine.
Chaffetz criticized Cannon and the GOP-controlled 109th
Congress for not living up to conservative expectations.
"Congress had such a great opportunity with Republican
control and they absolutely blew it," he said. "They
couldn't keep their hands out of the till. Ethics were
always in question. And they didn't address the hard
issues, such as immigration, nuclear waste and education.
"I'm a frustrated conservative and I feel like there are a
lot of people out there like me."
BYU political scientist Quin Monson said Chaffetz has a
chance -- if he can raise money and craft a message that
encompasses several issues.
"Our exit polling has shown...that Chris Cannon is far from
secure," Monson said. "He's managed to win against primary
challengers in part because they haven't been that good.
He doesn't evoke the same warm feeling in voters that Jon
Huntsman does, or even that Jim Matheson does."
Matheson is a Democrat who represents Utah's 2nd
Congressional District.
Monson and Chaffetz both mentioned John Jacob, the Eagle
Mountain businessman who challenged Cannon in last year's
Republican primary. Cannon won decisvely, but it was as
much because of Jacob's rookie mistakes as his own
campaign, Monson said.
"Cannon has never really done very well at connecting with
his constituents," Monson said. "His performance last time
against Jacob would encourage a more experienced challenger
to get in the race.
"The fact that someone from the governor's inner circle is
running suggests that he hasn't done a good job of
discouraging these challengers."
***
Originally printed on 1/2/07 in the Daily Herald as written
by Alan Choate.
(Tip of the day: Jason's last name is pronounced "Chay-fits")
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