Jeanetta Williams, president of the Salt Lake Branch NAACP, said she hopes the new lawmakers will make a difference, from an equality point of view. Her ideal: a style such as Suazo's.

"That would be looking at all the issues coming out, and saying with full force, 'This is one of the bills I'm going to support and these are the reasons why. . . ,' " Williams said. "We need to have people in who are their own individual thinkers."

Some issues of concern: continuing the Center for Multicultural Health, preventing predatory lending, and education.

Romero, 34, an attorney at the Salt Lake law firm Jones, Waldo, Holbrook & McDonough; and Wheatley, 49, director of the prison education program at Salt Lake Community College, both said minority issues are important. They say their key issues, such as education and health care, will benefit minorities while encompassing the population in general.

Oda, 51, an insurance agent, said some in the minority community might be disappointed with him, since he's not convinced that civil rights legislation such as a hate crimes law is needed.

His key concern is economic development statewide and keeping Hill Air Force Base off the military chopping block.

"We've got people with good work ethics; we just need to show we are a good value," he said of the base.

As freshmen Democrats, both Romero and Wheatley acknowledged they'll have to work with Republicans if they want to make a difference.

Romero said he'd like to work toward passage of the "Jones-Mascaro bill" that would raise funds for schools, in part by cutting tax deductions for dependents. That bill has failed two years in a row.

Wheatley said making sure seniors have adequate housing is an important issue in his district. Education is also a key issue he hopes to make a difference in. He noted high minority drop out rates as a key concern.

"Education in general is such a challenge," he said. "We can do better ensuring that children receive the same education, access to materials, resources and quality teachers."

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com