OREM — Two months after pronouncing he would not seek re-election, Sen. Parley Hellewell, R-Orem, reversed his position Wednesday and filed to again run for the Senate seat he's held for eight years.

Hellewell, known as a staunch conservative, will likely face a convention contest with fellow conservative Rep. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, who had announced she would leave her seat in the Utah House of Representatives to seek Hellewell's District 15 Senate seat.

"Basically, I just felt it's what I needed to do," Hellewell told the Deseret Morning News. "A lot of things have changed since I decided not to run."

When he announced he would not seek re-election, Hellewell cited conflicts between his rapidly growing business, his family and his elected-official duties as his reasons for not mounting another campaign.

Since then, however, he has sold one business, delayed the construction of a building for another business and hired a full-time employee to take over many of the day-to-day operations that Hellewell had been doing himself.

"After all that, my wife said maybe I should run again," said Hellewell, who has a plumbing, heating and air-conditioning company. "And I got calls from so many people saying 'We need you there' and 'We want you to run again.' "

Hellewell said he wants to play a role in guiding legislation on several issues, including patients' rights and school choice, which are likely to get a lot of attention in next year's session.

Dayton said she was "baffled" when Hellewell informed her of his decision on Wednesday morning but said his decision would not alter her campaign.

"I decided long ago I was running for the Senate seat," she said. "I haven't backed out or waffled. We're chosen to make the tough decisions — and the tough decision for him seems to be whether he's going to run."

Hellewell insisted that his decision was not result of any mistrust of Dayton.

"I think a lot of Margaret," he said. "I think she's a good person, and I think she'd be a good legislator. I've said that before."

Dayton has received several key endorsements, including one from Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, who has supported of Hellewell in the past.

Hellewell said he has spoken to Valentine, who will continue to endorse Dayton.

"They made that commitment after I got out of the race and felt like they should live up to it, and I agree," Hellewell said.