"I think the one thing I have noticed ...with regard to a lot of my clients, that a lot of the policies of this Congress and of this administration are really taking a task on a lot of working families," he said. "I see up close people's financial statements, I know how much money people are making, I know what bills they have, and a lot of people are feeling the squeeze."

And the present Congress and administration, Burridge said, seems little inclined to help them.

Still, the decision to run was not an easy one.

"I had a pretty good life," Burridge said. "I was 30 years old, I had a little law practice, had very little overhead in my business, was making very decent money, very comfortable in my lifestyle, and I wasn't working a ton. I had worked a lot when I first started my practice, but I had gotten it to the point where I was doing whatever I wanted. I was living the American Dream; I had a good life."

Burridge had two days to make a decision when he left the party offices, and after carefully thinking it over and discussing it with his wife, entered the race. Once in, he was committed to running a dedicated, full-time campaign.

"We've worked very hard," Burridge said. "I've downsized my law practice, I've taken a huge loss of income, I've put everything I have into it — all my savings — because I feel strongly that this Congress is irresponsible and my opponent is the worst type of representative we could have.

"Chris and I get along on a personal level, but his politics are absolutely not what this community needs."

'Debunking the myth'

While other Cannon opponents in recent years have launched quixotical campaigns, jousting with the imaginary in one of the nation's strongest bastions of Republican support, Burridge speaks and acts like a man who has no doubts he can win, though he hasn't fooled himself into thinking it will be easy.

"We've been debunking this myth that it's impossible for a Democrat to win," Burridge said. "If you look at the history, you really haven't had a full-time candidate run in this district with my profile; with a BYU law degree, that comes from this community, and that has run a race like we have. We feel very good about our chances on Nov. 7."

To win here, Burridge said a candidate needs to be from here and have an understanding of the people and their needs — qualities he said are strong in him.

He was born in Ogden, moved around a lot for the first few years because of his father's job as a Utah Highway Patrol trooper, then settled with the family in Riverton, where he graduated from Bingham High School.