Despite the outrageous, vile actions of former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, Utahns still have to bounce Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson from the U.S. House to keep Democrats from bringing in an anti-morality agenda most Utahns don't want, says Matheson challenger LaVar Christensen.

Christensen, a GOP state representative from Sandy, is now running a radio advertisement that says, in part, if 2nd District voters send Matheson back to Congress — and Democrats win control of the House — then America will be in trouble, and the national Democratic agenda will lead to "falling moral standards."

Democrats leading to falling moral standards in the U.S. House?

Just as Christensen's radio ad was getting some traction, a week ago Foley, R-Fla., quickly resigned his seat after the media began reporting on his salacious, sexually-explicit e-mails to juvenile congressional male interns.

And just like that, Christensen, who has nothing to do with the firestorm burning through U.S. House GOP leadership and key Republican House races, is caught up in the smoke.

But Christensen says Foley's "individual meltdown and own hypocrisy doesn't tip (Christensen's ad campaign) one way or the other."

Christensen's ad says: "Political experts are reporting that for the first time in 12 years, Democrats in Washington have a strong chance of winning enough seats in the coming election to take control of Congress.

"What will that mean for you, for Utah and America? ...

"It will mean increased dependence on foreign oil, rising gas prices and falling moral standards."

A longer version of the radio ad printed on Christensen's Web site (www.lavarforcongress.com), says that Democrat control of Congress will mean "endless congres- sional investigations," some baselessly targeting President Bush.

Yet it is now the GOP House majority that's leading a new investigation into Foley's actions and which, if any, Republican leaders turned a blind eye to his sexual solicitations.

Matheson says that Christensen's ad is just trying to paint him as some kind of bogey-man. "I say look at me" as an individual, not as some group Democrat. "I'm not sure all these things" that Christensen says will happen if Democrats control the House "would happen anyway. But for me, (Christensen's accusations) are simply not true."

The irony of blaming Democrats for any dropping moral standard "is self-evident on its face," said Matheson. "It is their (Republican) Party that's seen four different members resign" for questionable behavior "in just this term of Congress."

Christensen says he's not surprised by Matheson's response, adding that the congressman tries to fool constituents that he's "an almost Republican."