The Conservative Caucus may well re-energize the so-called "mainstream" caucus of moderate GOP House members, which was formed in the mid-1990s as a political counterweight to the then-powerful Cowboy Caucus of rural House members.

"We may be more active, yes," said Rep. Sheryl Allen, R-Bountiful, who, along with current House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, was one of the original founders of the "mainstream" caucus. The mainstream caucus only met three times last year, Allen noted, and hasn't pushed its own agenda recently.

Both Allen and Curtis said Friday that while they recognize any group of legislators has the right to form its own caucus or associations, the new element of a PAC/caucus raises concerns.

"I worry that all of us — Republicans, Democrats, House members, senators — are out there asking the same group (of businesses and lobbyists) for the same dollars," said Allen.

Curtis said: "Will we see more money coming into the political process, into campaigns, or the same money going to different places?"

Curtis said he's met with Hughes, whom he considers a friend, over the new caucus and PAC. Curtis said he told Hughes that he welcomes any and all kinds of political associations, but warned that in the end legislative Republicans, as the majority party, have to come together to make state policy and budgets.

"It takes 38 votes (a majority in the 75-member House) to pass anything," said Curtis. "And no caucus — whether the mainstream or Conservative or any other — has 38 solid votes all the time. We need to come together."

Hughes said the Conservative Caucus has about 25 founding members, but more could certainly join. Democrats are welcome if they espouse conservative ideals, said Hughes. Not all the GOP members will ask for or expect some of the $40,000-plus to spend on their own re-election campaigns. Nor will they ask for help with constituent services, another caucus goal.

The caucus has hired former Sutherland Institute staffer Laura Lee Adams to work with the caucus on constituent and fund-raising issues, said Hughes.

The Institute is a nonprofit entity which, in recent years, has played a greater and greater role in Utah GOP/conservative political research, philosophy and politics.

In fact, Hughes said one early measure of the Conservative Caucus' influence and interest will be a Jan. 14 dinner and seminar, to be held at the Institute's downtown headquarters, that will feature Grover Norquist of the national Americans For Tax Reform think-tank. Norquist and the ATR have consulted with President Bush and Congressional Republicans over tax policy.

"That should be an interesting evening," said Allen, "considering that Grover — for whom I have great respect — and the Americans For Tax Reform are under the cloud (of association) with the Mr. (Jack) Abramoff scandal."