Krista, his wife — whom he hadn't told about sponsoring a liquor-by-the-drink bill — looked up from her newspaper after first reading about it and said: "What is the matter with you?"

Recalls Hughes: "She couldn't understand why I would take on such an emotional issue given what we had just barely got through."

His attorney in the ethics case (he still owes the guy $42,000 in fees, and GOP and Democratic friends of Hughes recently raised $14,000 toward the debt), called him up. "I told you to keep a low profile," he said to Hughes.

"I said: 'I'm sorry, I can't help it.'"

What did Hughes learn over the last 12 months?

"I could have gone through my whole life without having to live through it. Especially hard on my wife and oldest daughter" — who were friends with the former GOP legislator, Rep. Susan Lawrence, who made the most damaging charges against Hughes. Lawrence said Hughes offered her $50,000 in campaign aid if she would switch her vote on vouchers. He was cleared of that charge in a split ethics board vote.

To take on the liquor bill, "I thought he was crazy," says Krista. The ethics investigation "hurt me, hurt our family." But she stands by Hughes' political work, no matter how painful. "He works his butt off. He was dirt poor and knows the other side, and he's great at (politics) and is passionate about it. It's who he is."

About the ethics investigation, Hughes said, "I'm not bitter, and I'm not going to brood. I'll work on that edge. I learned you don't fight like you did in Pittsburgh. Not in Utah."

Hughes says he's "leaning" toward running for re-election in 2010. And if the Utah Legislature creates a new 4th Congressional seat in southern Salt Lake County, "I'll consider it."

If Herbert calls with the lieutenant governor offer, Hughes says he'd be honored — but doesn't expect that call will come. Whatever happens, though, he wants to remain in public office.

"I like the policy, the Republican policy. And I like having influence, too. You could say I shouldn't be here, in the halls of government. I was a white-trash kid with a single mom." He looked at people who were well-off, "and they tended to be Republicans. And I said: I want to be successful in life. Why not? My mom worked hard all her life (she died of cancer at 50). Her mom, Grandma Max, worked two jobs, raising five kids alone after her husband left her."

Neither woman took government aid, he says, although they could have.

"And it's an honor to serve. I take it seriously."

E-MAIL: bbjr@desnews.com