Matheson is keeping his head down

Heard much about the 2nd Congressional District race this year?

Usually, the biennial battle between Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson and his GOP challenger is the top race in Utah. But this year's 2nd District race has been relatively quiet.

And with big bucks not coming in through independent, often negative, campaign ads, Matheson's now-likely looking re-election could be a ho-hum affair.

That appears just fine by the congressman, who has kept his head down.

He's been especially bland the last several weeks as two hot issues have surfaced: The possibility of a fourth congressional seat for Utah and the national furor over ex-Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., and his sexually explicit e-mails to House pages.

Some political watchers are wondering why Matheson has not happily accepted a four-seat Congressional plan that would greatly benefit Utah's lone Democratic congressman.

They also wonder why Matheson isn't teeing off on the now-embattled House Republican leadership.

In the case of redistricting, Matheson clearly benefits from the smaller, much more Democratic 2nd District plan that Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., Senate President John Valentine and House Speaker Greg Curtis put forward last week.

From Matheson's sprawling 2nd District of today — which includes the eastern part of Salt Lake County, counties to the east, south and southeast — Matheson would get a new 2nd District that includes the northern half of Salt Lake County, including all of Salt Lake City, and Summit and Morgan counties.

But instead of staying "thank you very much," Matheson has actually talked down the new plan.

Actually, his reaction to the plan is understandable, as is his muted reply to the Foley scandal — Matheson is keeping to his longtime course of not liking any GOP-controlled redistricting and not bashing national Republicans.

Ever since Utah GOP bosses redrew Matheson's district in 2001, he has called for an independent commission to redraw congressional and legislative districts after each 10-year census.

"We should not be choosing our own constituents," he says. "They should be choosing us."

The Foley matter is a bit different. But Matheson, who has opposed partisanship and straight-party-line voting before, can't very well beat up on any Republicans now. That would just drive moderate Republicans away from voting for him.

Actually, the Foley fiasco plays into a complex relationship that Matheson has adopted with national Republicans.

In fact, while it may sound strange, Matheson actually could be worse off politically if Democrats take control of the U.S. House in November's elections.