"It's just different in the West than it is New York or Illinois," he said.

Matheson, who is up for re-election this year, said he is pleased with the enthusiasm the race has generated. He still isn't ready to say he'll be at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August, though.

"I will certainly go if I need to be there," he said. But Matheson has skipped Democratic conventions and cost Utah a delegate vote, including in 2004 in Boston when Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry was nominated.

While Matheson has said he needed the time to campaign, others have suggested he'd rather not spend too much time associating with the national party — especially in election years.

This year could be different if the race isn't decided by August and Matheson's superdelegate vote is needed. And even if that's not the case, Holland said this year's location, in the more moderate Mountain West, could make the convention more appealing.

"It's a different environment this time," Holland said, particularly compared with the more liberal setting in Boston. "With the convention in the Mountain West, there's a lot more likelihood that more moderate Democrats will get involved."

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