Two years ago this summer, at least two "quality" Republicans were actively pursuing Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson's 2nd Congressional District seat.

This summer . . . silence on the GOP front.

No Republican has stepped forward to challenge Matheson, who beat a well-financed John Swallow in 2004 by 15 percentage points in a GOP-dominated district that national and local Republicans have targeted for years.

Joe Cannon, state GOP chairman, said he has talked "to a lot of people" over the past few months, encouraging them to seriously take on Matheson.

"But only two have given me definite answers — John Swallow and Tim Bridgewater said 'no,' " Cannon said.

Considering how strong Matheson is in fund-raising and campaigning, "It's getting a bit late" for Republicans to not have a "quality candidate" for 2006, according to Brigham Young University political science professor Kelly Patterson, who has studied U.S. House races for a decade.

Patterson defines a "quality" candidate as one who has won elective office — preferably within the 2nd District boundaries — and has a proven ability to raise funds.

In 2002 and 2004, Swallow and Bridgewater led strong GOP fields against Matheson, and both years Swallow and Bridgewater emerged from state Republican conventions in May to face each other in June primaries. Swallow won both primaries but then fell twice to Matheson.

"I assume I'll have a (Republican) opponent," Matheson said this week. "Hey, I'm the only race the Republicans have (to find a candidate) in 2006" — all the other seats have GOP incumbents.

"And I'm preparing for it like I always have — I take fund-raising and campaigning very seriously."

Indeed, in his mid-July Federal Election Commission filing, Matheson reports having $333,346 in cash. In July 2003, a year out from his 2002 election victory against Swallow, Matheson had $346,380.

"I'm about where I was two years ago" in fund-raising, said Matheson, whose 2nd District includes eastern Salt Lake County and parts of eastern and southern Utah. "I spent $2 million in 2004 and expect to do at least that or better" in the 2006 campaign.

Being a Democrat in a GOP-majority district, the fund-raising never ends, Matheson added.

After losing a very close election to Matheson in 2002, Swallow just kept on raising funds through 2003 and into 2004. In July 2003, Swallow had $105,000 in his campaign account, FEC reports show.

Not only does a GOP challenger to Matheson next year not have $105,000 a year out from Election Day — Republicans don't even have a name.

"I really haven't heard of anyone" talking about running against Matheson, said Salt Lake County GOP chairman James Evans, a former state senator. "I know that Winston Wilkinson has decided not to run."