District 2 looks like Matheson cakewalk

With three weeks until Election Day, two national political journals have taken Utah's 2nd Congressional District race between incumbent Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, and state GOP Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, completely off of their watch lists.

In other words, The National Journal and The Rothenberg Political Report say Matheson is safe — Christensen simply won't beat him.

Two other national political watchers, while saying Matheson's re-election is not a slam dunk, have placed him either as "Democrat favored" to win or the seat going "likely Democratic." Both the Congressional Quarterly and The Cook Political Report predict Utah's only Democratic congressman is favored to win a fourth term.

The National Journal listed 60 House races, ranking each by how close the GOP and Democratic candidates were. Its editors considered Matheson so far ahead that Utah's 2nd District didn't even make that top 60.

But Christensen doesn't see it that way, last week he told the Deseret Morning News that he believes many Utah Republicans will come home as they realize that he, not Matheson, represents their political and moral ideals.

Christensen has been saying the 2nd District race is simple: Do you want a representative who will vote for continued Republican con-

trol in the U.S. House, or do you want a representative who will vote for Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, "who is from San Francisco," to be the next speaker of the House?

Matheson holds the largest lead he's ever had in public opinion polls in his three other races.

A late September survey by Dan Jones & Associates found Matheson ahead of Christensen, 60-24 percent.

Matheson is perceived so far ahead that the National Republican Congressional Committee has not put any money into the 2nd District this year. In past elections, the NRCC has poured hundreds of thousands of dollars to unseat Matheson.

Likewise, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has not put any money into the 2nd District this year.

Matheson also leads Christensen in fund raising. The latest Federal Election Commission reports show that Matheson has $1.1 million in cash while Christensen has nearly $300,000.

A millionaire, Christensen has put $490,000 of his own money into his race, and he may well put more in as he runs more TV and radio ads up to Election Day.

Matheson's electorial success is galling to Republicans, especially because the 2nd District normally votes Republican.

Cook lists the district as 17 points plus Republican, yet puts Matheson in with nine other Democratic-held seats that will likely go Democratic on Nov. 7.