However, the Deseret Morning News, through a GRAMA request, obtained e-mails sent to a former Zions Bank employee, Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, that showed bank executives were concerned about various legislative issues over the years and called Ray in to personally talk about them.

In a job resignation e-mail sent last November, Ray said, "It has become apparent through my interactions with senior management that my political views differ from those of Zions Bank and their management." (Ray voted against a critical pro-bank resolution in the 2005 Legislature.)

"My work environment has been stressful due to those differences, and I feel that it is in the best interest of myself and my family to move on. My last day will be December 1st (2005)." Ray, who went to work for a mortgage lender, declined further comment beyond the e-mails themselves.

Rep. Peggy Wallace, R-West Jordan, a credit union employee, lost a close race Tuesday against Jim Bird. Bird received $500 from the bankers association. Wallace, who voted against a critical bank-sponsored resolution in the 2005 Legislature, got $1,000 from one credit union, $500 from a small bank.

Outside of Tuesday's primary election, Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, was recently placed on Zions Bank's board of directors, a position that pays around $9,400 a year. That appointment led a credit union association spokesman to say credit unions were having a difficult time countering the banks' influence on Capitol Hill.

Public-ed winners

Pro-public-education advocates think they likely increased their House majority by a handful of representatives through Tuesday's primary.

Considerable money was thrown around in the tough fight over state income tax credits for parents who send their children to private schools. Public-education backers have been able to defeat school-choice bills recently in the Utah House. And if incumbent Republicans and Democrats who oppose such measures fare well in November's final election, pro-public education advocates should be better off in the 2007 Legislature than previously.

The UEA says its favored candidates won in five of seven targeted races.

"For those that are still doing, or trying to do, some kind of rough head count on how this might change the vote in the House on a possible voucher or tuition tax credits bill, one never knows for sure where things stand," said Vik Arnold, UEA government relations and political action director. "But I think we're probably up a minimum four votes over where we had been, which is a five-to-six vote lead."

Some incumbents and challengers felt a double whammy — they were opposed by banks or credit unions and by one side of the school-choice issue.