Chaffetz not running for Congress

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s chief of staff, Jason Chaffetz, says he's decided not to run for Congress.

Chaffetz, a Republican who ran the GOP governor's campaign, said last week he was considering challenging Rep. Jim Matheson. The Democratic congressman is seeking a fourth term in the 2nd District.

Now Chaffetz has come to the conclusion he doesn't want to be a candidate after all.

When his possible candidacy became public last week, Chaffetz was forced to choose between his job as the Huntsman administration's top appointed official and what would have been his first run for office.

"To do it right and maintain the integrity of the governor's office, you would need to leave immediately," Chaffetz said Friday. He had hoped that if he decided to run, he could remain in his job until early next year.

But after conferring with the governor, Chaffetz said he realized he couldn't do both. "Chief of staff is a very unique position. You can't have that distraction or that question mark in the public's mind. I think that's very legitimate," he said.

So he's staying put. "I love this job. I think I've got the best job in the state. There's still so much more to do that I don't want to leave that at this time," Chaffetz said. "You can have such a great impact as a chief of staff that I think it's in my own best interests to continue."

There is no announced candidate from the GOP for the 2nd District, although state Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Sandy, and Salt Lake County Sheriff Aaron Kennard both have expressed interest in the race according to Republican party chairman Joe Cannon.

Matheson, who won his seat in 2000, has managed to hang onto it despite GOP lawmakers' attempts to redistrict him out of office. His heavily Republican district extends from eastern Salt Lake County to eastern and southern Utah, including parts of conservative Utah County.

His last two races have been against Republican John Swallow, who faced a tough primary challenge in both years from Tim Bridgewater. Those primary battles, as well as negative campaign ads run against Matheson, helped defeat Swallow.

Chaffetz said it's important for the GOP to unite behind a single candidate this time around and avoid what he described as the "dirty, negative tactics" of the past. But he wasn't ready to identify who that candidate should be, if not him.

Plus, Chaffetz said, he shouldn't be counted out as a candidate in a future race. "I think at some point in time, I really would like to be a candidate," Chaffetz said. "The experiences and know-how that I will gain as the chief of staff will only make me more viable."

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