House Majority Leader Jeff Alexander, R-Provo, has already announced that after he wins re-election Tuesday (he has no Democratic opponent) he will resign to take a part-time volunteer job in Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s economic development office.

Running for majority leader are Reps. Dave Clark, R-Santa Clara, and Steve Urquhart, R-St. George. Urquhart is the current majority whip.

Clark challenged Alexander for the majority leader post early on last spring, and many GOP legislators believe Alexander decided to leave the Legislature in part because he knew he'd be voted out as majority leader and had little chance of advancing to speaker when Curtis finally steps down.

Candidates for the other two majority leadership posts — whip and assistant whip — are numerous. They are:

Majority whip — Reps. Gordon Snow, R-Roosevelt; Becky Lockhart, R-Provo; and Wayne Harper, R-West Jordan.

Assistant majority whip — Reps. Jim Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville; Mike Morley, R-Spanish Fork; Craig Frank, R-Pleasant Grove; Brad Dee, R-Ogden; and Ben Ferry, R-Corinne. Ferry is the current assistant whip.

Frank is the co-chair of the new "Conservative Caucus" in the House GOP. But the 30-or-so caucus members have not collectively endorsed anyone in leadership races, said caucus chair Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper.

GOP leadership races are sometimes decided along geographic lines. And there has been some concern in both the House and Senate that there were too many leaders from Utah County in the 2005 and 2006 Legislatures.

What's likely to be the most heated race in the Senate GOP caucus, however, pits Majority Leader Peter Knudson, R-Brigham City, against an outspoken Utah County lawmaker, Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo.

Senate Majority Whip Dan Eastman, R-Bountiful, appears to have no challengers.

But there are three GOP senators vying to replace retiring Senate Assistant Majority Whip Bev Evans, R-Altamont — Carlene Walker of Salt Lake, Bill Hickman of St. George and Sheldon Killpack of Syracuse.

Jokingly, House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake, says Democrats don't care that much about power — and both Becker and Minority Whip Brad King, D-Price, say no House Democrats have announced they are running for leadership posts.

"I'm thinking about running again" for minority leader, said Becker. King, likewise, said he may run again for minority whip.

One post is open — Rep. Pat Jones, D-Cottonwood Heights, the current assistant whip, is running for the state Senate this year. She's the Senate Democrats' choice for minority caucus manager — if she wins the seat now held by retiring Sen. Patrice Arent, D-Murray.

Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich said there likely would be no other changes in Democratic leadership, unless Senate Assistant Majority Whip Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake, loses his race.

But Dmitrich said he's offered the top minority spot in the Senate to Minority Caucus Manager Ed Mayne, D-West Valley City. Mayne, head of the AFL-CIO in Utah, said he hasn't decided yet whether he wants the job.

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