Swallow reinforced his Republican roots and accused Matheson of voting for one thing and then voting with another group the next time around.

"I think Jim is just caught in a quagmire, being in Washington. It's difficult to be a Democrat there and represent Utah," he said. "Anybody who knows me and those who support me know I am committed to strong relationships with members of my party, and even those from the other side of the isle."

Reforming the nation's medical system and reigning in health care costs will take significant work from both parties, Matheson said.

"We've got to step aside on partisan politics to solve this. John Swallow voted against CHIP, the state's health insurance program for children," he said. "I voted for President Bush's Medicare prescription drug card program, and I voted for tort reform. It's a complex issue and we have to come together as a country to solve this problem."

It's critical to open up some of the state's vast natural resources and harvest the timber or mine the coalfields, Swallow said.

"The sweet spot of our economy in Utah is access to public lands and resources," he said. "If we do not open up our public lands, and get our fair share so we can educate our children, if we don't do that, our taxes will go up."

Matheson said he supports exchanging some of the landlocked pieces of state land for federal parcels, which can then be sold and developed to pay for Utah's education system.

"The federal government said it would fund special education up to 43 percent, but they never have. The most they've given is 17 percent. The federal government needs to pay its share so Utahns don't have to make up the difference," he said.

Swallow said he is pulling closer to Matheson in the race and expects to win on election day.

"Our polls show we're within one-digit numbers of Jim," said Swallow. "I'm getting a lot of 'atta-boys' and 'It's about time,' comments from people down here who say they're glad I'm going after Jim's record."

For his part, Matheson said he's proud of his work in Congress and is happy to discuss his record anytime with anyone.

"I'm not really caught on one side in Washington. I'm caught on your side and that's where I would like to stay," Matheson said in his closing remarks.

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E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com