Utahns, especially Republican Utahns, love Mitt Romney as a GOP presidential candidate.

They've given Romney, who headed Utah's successful 2002 Olympic Winter Games, nearly $4 million in campaign donations, only outpaced by Californians. And public opinion polls here show that Romney is hands down the favorite presidential alternative.

Between April and June, Utah donors contributed $1.1 million to Romney, ranking the state second behind California ($2.1 million) in donations to the former Massachusetts governor, according to just-released campaign finance reports.

But did Romney dis Utah Republicans during his 2002 successful campaign for the governorship of Massachusetts — one of the most Democratic states in the union?

Maybe, says Utah Democratic Party executive director Todd Taylor.

"With all of his flip-flopping on all these other issues Romney has done, Mitt has become the poster child in the United States for political cynicism," Taylor said.

Romney's comments about Utah in 2002 can be seen as just another example of that attitude, Taylor believes.

A new advertisement put together by the Massachusetts Democratic Party shows a 2002 Romney distancing himself both from the Republican Party and from Utah. It can be viewed on YouTube at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbX4RkGlYnk&NR=1.

TV clips of Romney statements include:

• "I'm not convinced that a state would be better off with all Republicans. As a matter of fact, I've been in a state like that for the past three years. Not a good thing."

• "It is a very clear thing for the people across the commonwealth (of Massachusetts) that my R doesn't stand so much for Republican as it does for Reform."

• "I'm not running for the Republican view or a continuation of Republican values. That's not what brings me to the (governor's) race."

• "I lived in a place that was a one-party state that was primarily Republicans and I thought, 'Oh, won't that be nice?' The answer is no."

• "(In Massachusetts) it is always a burden for someone to run with R for Republican after their name. Surely I have many friends who are Republicans and Republican voters."

The 2007 Democratic anti-Romney advertisement ends with self-confessed "liberal" Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson endorsing Romney's 2002 gubernatorial run. The ad ran during Romney's governor's race in Massachusetts. (Anderson doesn't support Romney's presidential bid.)

"I have to say that I agree with (Romney) when he talks about it not being a good thing that Utah is a one-party state" and so heavily Republican, Taylor said.