As with Yoda, Jones never surrenders to the dark forces of cynicism and tyranny but reassures us of the inherent greatness in our government, and in ourselves.

Webb: Polling wars are part of any major political campaign or public policy initiative. The guy in the middle of most of those wars in Utah for the last several decades has been Dan Jones, Utah's pugnacious pollster. I've worked closely with Dan, the consummate professional, on hundreds of polling projects over many years.

Being the go-to local pollster in Utah is a bit like being a family doctor in a small town — you sometimes have to deliver bad news to neighbors and friends, and they don't always like it. Utah's political community is relatively small, and a survey on any given topic or political campaign usually makes about as many people mad as happy.

Unlike national pollsters who can knock out a Utah survey, not caring who they offend or even whether their numbers are very good, Dan lives here and is part of the community. The fact that Pat Jones, Dan's wife and full business partner, is a high-profile Democratic state senator, is a further complication.

Dan navigates these challenges the only ways he knows how: by producing unfailingly good survey research and letting the chips fall where they may. I've never worried about Dan's numbers because I know Dan is doing enough worrying for me, him, and the rest of the world's population. Numbers are Dan's babies. He fusses over them. He is sometimes grouchy and seldom seems to be enjoying himself because he worries so much about the numbers. He frets, he stews, he agonizes, he micro-manages, he drives his employees nuts. He checks, re-checks and triple checks. Because he is in the field so much, Dan knows almost instinctively if he has a good sample or if something needs to be adjusted. He has an intuitive feel for Utah's demographics, culture and attitudes.

He is super-sensitive to criticism, which makes him try all the harder. As he likes to say, a pollster's success rides entirely on his integrity and reputation.

Dan Jones & Associates survives and thrives in a tough and rapidly-changing business environment. Cell phones make reaching representative samples more difficult. New competition abounds. Survey research has almost become like publishing: anyone with a computer can do it (or thinks they can). Computer programs draw samples and crunch numbers. Ambitious firms pop up every day offering cheap polling using automated phone calls and huge Web-based panels that provide near-instant results.

Dan may be a throwback to the good old days. But he stays busy because he worries so much.

---

Republican LaVarr Webb is a political consultant and lobbyist. Previously he was policy deputy to Gov. Mike Leavitt and a Deseret News managing editor. E-mail: lwebb@exoro.com. Democrat Frank Pignanelli is Salt Lake attorney, lobbyist and political adviser. Pignanelli served 10 years in the Utah House of Representatives, six years as House minority leader. E-mail: frankp@xmission.com.