But Curtis and House Republicans were not done showing up their Senate colleagues.

A daylong closed House caucus this past week broke up after more than 40 in the caucus voted to give a whopping $230 million tax cut in the 2006 Legislature. (Thirty-eight is a majority in the House, so GOP representatives don't need any Democratic votes to give the cut.)

If actually given, $230 million would be the largest tax cut in Utah history.

Again, Senate Republicans were put on the defensive.

They caucused this week, but instead of playing into House Republicans' hands — and endorsing their $230 million cut, or even increasing that number — the GOP senators just said they're looking at tax cuts next year.

I'm told that GOP Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. was not happy that the Republican senators didn't try to downplay the House's big tax cut.

Huntsman suggests a $60 million tax cut. And he would have welcomed the GOP senators either endorsing that amount or at least saying that the $230 million figure was way too high. They did neither.

All 56 House Republicans are up for election next year, but only nine of 21 Senate Republicans face re-election in 2006. So a core of GOP senators could stand against the $230 million tax cut and not immediately face voters.

But just two years ago, at the state GOP convention, GOP Senate leaders faced the very unpleasant wrath of right-wing delegates over an abortion bill. The leaders had to listen to a loudspeaker outside the hall replaying the last few minutes of the Senate's final night debate, where a few jokes were made as the leaders let a Democratic senator talk a controversial abortion bill to death before adjournment. They learned they don't have to be on the ballot to feel the heat.

I'm guessing Valentine and company are not pleased with House Republicans — as most of the House GOP caucus smiles at the majority senators feeling the political squeeze.

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