• Down in Utah County, Rep. Margaret Dayton seems to be collecting support for a challenge to Sen. Parley Hellewell. Both Dayton and Hellewell are plenty conservative. Dayton has taken on the federal government's "No Child Left Behind" legislation with a lot of publicity and even some national notoriety. Hellewell is the darling of various ultraconservative causes, making this intraparty struggle fascinating to watch.

• House Republican leaders are considering various modifications to the appropriations process that would lock in the budget at about the same time the Legislature convenes (the third Monday of every January). Normally, the budget is not finalized until the end of the session. This proposal could reduce gubernatorial input in the budgetary process and give legislators greater control to decide fiscal matters in advance of the session.

• A handful of lawmakers are considering legislation to limit municipal officials to two terms. These lawmakers wanted to wait until after 2005, so that popular mayors Tom Dolan in Sandy and Dan Snarr in Murray wouldn't be affected. The target is Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson, who would be seeking a third term in 2007.

• Sen. Curtis Bramble is still seriously considering challenging Congressman Chris Cannon in the 3rd Congressional District, despite serving as Cannon's campaign treasurer. The two are friends, but the immigration issue (especially Cannon's support of President Bush's policy granting more work permits to undocumented workers) has driven a wedge in their relationship. Anti-immigration activists are pushing Bramble hard.

• Speaking of Bramble, a number of Republican state senators are grumbling about the antics of the outspoken and energetic lawmaker, especially in regard to the Tax Reform Task Force. "All Bramble, all the time" is how one senator described the activities of the task force. Adjustments to the tax code are never easy, and it remains to be seen whether the task force will have substantive recommendations for the 2006 or 2007 sessions.

• U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch and State Rep. Steve Urquhart are burning up the phone lines as they solicit support from legislators and other Republican leaders in the Senate nomination battle. It puts GOP legislators in an awkward position because they don't want to offend a powerful incumbent who they think will probably be re-elected, while also not wanting to abandon Urquhart. Some lawmakers are contemplating what this race means for Urquhart's political future. If he stays in for several months but then drops out, he may be damaged in the leadership elections held after the 2006 general election. Plenty of ambitious lawmakers exist who would love to seek a leadership post.

• The Huntsman administration is now seven months old, and politicos are not shy in offering reviews of the governor's office. In addition to Chaffetz (see above), the other key functionary is Deputy Chief of Staff Neal Ashdown. As the governor's chief policy adviser, Ashdown is emerging as a "go to" player who can get things accomplished inside the executive branch. He has more experience and institutional memory than most others in the office. General counsel Michael Lee and legislative liaison Michael Mower (a k a the "M & Ms"), despite their lack of government experience, are receiving fine marks for furthering the priorities of an administration still defining itself.

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Republican LaVarr Webb was policy deputy to Gov. Mike Leavitt and Deseret News managing editor. He now is a political consultant and lobbyist. E-mail: lwebb@exoro.com. Democrat Frank Pignanelli is Salt Lake attorney, lobbyist and political adviser. A former candidate for Salt Lake mayor, Pignanelli served 10 years in the Utah House of Representatives, six years as House minority leader. Pignanelli's spouse, D'Arcy Dixon Pignanelli, is executive director of the state Department of Administrative Services in the Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. administration. E-mail: frankp@xmission.com.