Recent governors have gone to the mat on matters of executive power. In eight years in office, former Gov. Norm Bangerter, a former House speaker who had wonderful relationships with the Legislature, had only one veto overridden: a budget veto where the issue was that a governor could only veto a numbered item in an appropriation bill, not just one line in the bill.

Leavitt, who at times had some pretty rocky dealings with his own party's legislative leaders, didn't face even a veto override session for the first 10 of his 11 years in office. And here comes Huntsman, faced with a major balance of power fight his first month in office.

Huntsman may use his ambassadorial experience in the dispute. Maybe he can convince the current leaders that he won't play hardball on any budget issues, like former Gov. Olene Walker did.

HB97, in fact, may be just a bluff, although Curtis stoutly denies that. Show the young guy the big guns. Let him see who really carries the budget-setting weight.

But maybe it won't come to that. Maybe Huntsman will come around and see that spending $50 million more on roads, like the House GOP caucus wants this year, is a smart idea.

Legislators often talk about using correct principles; setting up the proper process. And Curtis said that is exactly what he's trying to do with HB97.

But when push comes to shove, I've found legislators are also quick to introduce bills that could have far-reaching impacts while they are also looking to make points in the fight-of-the-day.

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Deseret Morning News political editor Bob Bernick Jr. may be reached by e-mail at bbjr@desnews.com