"I wouldn't say that (Utah Republicans) are afraid of me," he added. His district is still more Republican than Democrat in voting for major offices. But Utahns in the large, sprawling 2nd Congressional District — which stretches from eastern Salt Lake County to the Uinta Basin and then wraps south and west to Washington and Iron counties — have gotten to know him better, Matheson said.

"I'm proud of what I've done as a congressman. I've worked very hard, both as a candidate and as a congressman, and I think people see that," he said.

Matheson spent $1.64 million in his 2006 re-election, outspending Christensen nearly 2-to-1.

"I always assume that my next race will cost at least as much as my last one," Matheson said. "And I'm on track to raise the most ever."

In 2002 and 2004, national GOP groups pumped millions of dollars into 2nd District advertising trying to defeat Matheson, who was then one of the few Democratic congressmen in the Mountain West. Those groups didn't come into the 2006 race, and Matheson hopes they won't be here next year.

Success may breed wariness by his political opponents, but Matheson says it won't breed overconfidence by him.

"I see no indication now that they (traditional Republican groups) won't be coming after me" in 2008, Matheson said.

In fact, in January of this year President Bush's former political guru, Karl Rove, gave a power-point presentation to Washington, D.C., GOP insiders, highlighting possible Republican victories in 2008.

"And my name was first on Rove's list, the Washington Post reported," said Matheson.

Weiler said Utah GOP leaders "aren't near the panic point yet" in finding someone to challenge Matheson, although the longer the ultimate Republican challenger(s) wait, the harder it will be for them to catch up in fund raising.

"We'll put our heads together and find a good candidate," Weiler said.

Matheson vowed to be aggressive, both in raising money and running his campaign. "It will be a tough race for me. That's how it always is."

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com