The dynamics in the Utah Legislature are evolving, especially through the recent changes in leadership. Some thoughts on the impact:

Were the changes surprising?

Webb: Leadership races are always very personal, and close races are often unpredictable. Even a superior vote-counter is sometimes tripped up because caucus members don't always vote as they promised. All sorts of factors play out in leadership races, including leadership ability and style, ideology, personal alliances and geography (Utah County loses). It was clear the hottest race, the GOP Senate presidency contest between John Valentine and Michael Waddoups, would be close, so it's not a big surprise that Waddoups won.

Pignanelli: The loud groaning from Utah County last week (and repeated after the BYU-Utah game) was their bemoaning loss of influence at the Capitol. Senate President John Valentine and Majority Leader Curt Bramble were knocked from powerful positions in state government. Leadership elections are nasty affairs because they're so personal and reflect a legislator's standing among his/her colleagues. The Senate Republican battle was fomenting for months and change was not unexpected. Many conjectured senators were frustrated the House was dominating state affairs. Further, Bramble's style was an issue for him and Valentine. Utah County, once the focal point of power, now boasts just one of their own in leadership: Rep. Becky Lockhart as assistant majority whip. The new president, Waddoups, is a shrewd operator and will be assertive with the governor and the House. The House's mood for change was satisfied by replacing outgoing Speaker Greg Curtis with Dave Clark. Kevin Garn's election as majority leader over Wayne Harper was not surprising, although the rumored margin of victory (less than four votes) was eye-opening.Senate Democrats were split evenly and a coin toss utilized to elect Pat Jones as minority leader. For the first time in many years, House Democrats elected a Blue Dog, Jim Gowans, to their leadership. Both events could not be predicted and promise changes in approach from the minority party.

Do these changes offer opportunities or challenges to the governor?

Pignanelli: The Senate refusal to confirm Robert Hilder to the Court of Appeals was more than a gun issue. Senators sent a signal they will not "rubberstamp" anything from anyone. However, with Curtis out of the picture and the senators temporarily divided, the popular governor still has a limited opportunity to push his agenda (i.e. health care, ethics, energy) in this vacuum. Otherwise, Speaker Clark and President Waddoups possess more than enough energy and skill to re-establish the pre-eminence of the Legislature in state government.