Karras said he spent around $120,000 on TV just before the GOP convention. While he declined to name a figure, he said he'll have to spend more than that on major media in the primary to get his name and message of fiscal conservatism out.

"I can say my spending will be modest compared to what (Huntsman) is capable of," said Karras, an accountant and businessman and past speaker of the state House of Representatives.

While Huntsman says he doesn't plan to pour his own money into the race, the son of billionaire philanthropist and industrialist Jon Huntsman Sr. could spend millions of dollars. The Huntsmans are well-known in Utah, the family name on dozens of buildings and scholarships, including the Huntsman cancer research center and hospital at the University of Utah.

"We will be on TV," said Huntsman. "We'll be competitive" in media buys.

Huntsman added that his lead is not just name ID. "There's a lot of work gone in over the last 10 months. But these numbers (over Karras) will change as the primary nears. He'll get closer."

Matheson also has a name familiar to voters, as he is the son of the late-Democratic Gov. Scott M. Matheson. Scott Matheson Jr.'s younger brother, Jim, now holds the 2nd Congressional District seat. The Mathesons are seen as the leading Democratic family in Utah.

Republicans outnumber Democrats at least 2-1 in the state. Accordingly, for a Democrat to win a major office he has to carry most of the political independents and a few Republicans, as well. Rep. Jim Matheson did that in his narrow victory two years ago in the 2nd District.

Jones found that Scott Matheson Jr. gets 14 percent of the GOP vote in a head-to-head matchup with Huntsman. He outpolls Huntsman 49-36 percent among independents.

Matheson does better against Karras. He gets 26 percent of the GOP vote in that head-to-head matchup. And Matheson outpolls Karras among independents 68-17 percent.

---

E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com