N.Y. convention isn't big Utah draw this year

Monday, the Republican National Convention kicks off in New York City.

And as was the case for the Democratic convention three weeks ago in Boston, some notable Utah politicians/candidates won't be going to the Big Apple.

GOP gubernatorial candidate Jon Huntsman Jr. originally planned to attend the four-day meeting in Madison Square Garden. He even ran and was elected a national GOP delegate by the state GOP convention. But now Huntsman says he's staying back in Utah to campaign.

His Democratic challenger, Scott Matheson Jr., didn't attend his party's Boston meeting. Neither did his younger brother, U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, who by reason of his elective office was an automatic national delegate.

Like Huntsman, both said their time could be better spent in Utah. But there are other factors going on, here, as well. Second congressional district GOP candidate John Swallow also is not going to the convention. He's not a delegate, but GOP candidates in that district historically have gone.

Times have certainly changed since I covered my first national political convention in 1988. Back then local politicians and candidates didn't miss the events. Neither did the local media.

I remember that KSL-TV paid tens of thousands of dollars to set up its own tiny, cramped booth on the luxury box level of the old Omni center in Atlanta, broadcasting live every night of the Democratic convention.

KSL-TV didn't even send reporters to Boston and New York this year. Nor did KUTV. In fact, I think the change in local TV coverage is one reason Utah candidates don't bother going to the conventions.

In the old days, when local TV stations had lengthy newscasts from the convention hall or even an hour of prime time to fill each night, local candidates could get a lot of face time — exposure they likely couldn't afford to buy themselves.

The Deseret Morning News and Salt Lake Tribune might carry three, four, five stories a day about the conventions, including tidbits about the local delegation and attending candidates. The Tribune didn't go to a pair of conventions in the early 1990s. But they are back to covering the conventions again. Still, there is less local and national media coverage today of the conventions than 15 years ago.

Then there are purely political reasons for not going.

The Mathesons didn't attend the Boston convention this year, I believe, in part because they didn't want to be too closely connected to the national Democratic Party.