BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. — The West could become a key player in the next presidential election under an initiative being pushed by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.

Tuesday, Huntsman said he is taking the lead on getting states to sign on to a single date for the next presidential primary in 2008. So far, at least five states are interested.

"What's in it for Utah is the national election stage," Huntsman said after the close of the three-day annual meeting of the Western Governors' Association.

Utah can benefit, he said, from "the economic development that goes with being part of major national campaigns, the enthusiasm that is created for both parties around national candidates coming to our region."

Huntsman said the primary could even draw candidates to Utah, traditionally a Republican stronghold that is seldom visited by the major party candidates.

"Time will tell. If you do nothing, then I think we have the answer. If we do something, then I think we have at least a fighting chance," he said.

He said he raised the issue last week during a meeting in Salt Lake City with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a prominent Democrat often discussed as a possible presidential candidate. Richardson backed the issue as head of the WGA two years ago.

"We thought if we had a bipartisan approach, that would ensure something got done," Huntsman said. "He's excited about it. I've talked to some of my colleagues here, and I intend to follow up with them."

Richardson said the states that have expressed interest are Montana, Colorado and Arizona, in addition to Utah and New Mexico. Huntsman said Wyoming is also a possibility. "No one has signed up," the Utah governor said. "We're just initiating discussions."

Huntsman said he decided to push the primary idea again because of the "importance of the emerging West. . . . We have the fastest-growing region of the country. It is relevant economically, it is relevant socially and, therefore, it is relevant politically. This is one way of driving all of those facts home."

In 1998, Gov. Mike Leavitt proposed the Western states hold the first regional presidential primary in 2000, in March just before Super Tuesday. But what became the Mountain States primary — with just Utah, Colorado and Wyoming Republicans — ended up being held after Super Tuesday had decided the national party candidates.

Richardson, too, tried to push the idea before. He said he's now working with Huntsman. "What we'd like is for the West not to be a flyover region in presidential elections, Republican and Democratic," the New Mexico governor said.

He said mid-February would be a good date, after the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. "Several states are already teaming up. The key is the year 2006 and the legislatures. We hope to list as many Western states as possible."

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