Bishop, Cannon leading in polls

Rep. Chris Cannon has had no problems winning re-election in his 3rd Congressional District in recent elections. But a new Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll shows a number of his constituents, including his own Republicans, still are undecided about whether they'll vote for him again.

And adding to Cannon's political woes are two wannabes in his own party challenging him and seeking those undecided GOP voters.

Meanwhile, up in the 1st Congressional District, which now includes part of Salt Lake City, GOP Rep. Rob Bishop has few concerns. Bishop is well ahead of his challengers as the U.S. House races begin to heat up this spring, pollster Dan Jones & Associates found in a new survey for the newspaper and TV station.

Bishop, who faces his first re-election, has 56 percent support among all the candidates, Jones found. Democrat Steve Thompson has only 10 percent support, while Democrat Brian Earl Watkins has 5 percent. Minor party candidates pick up a percent here or there. Twenty-four percent of those polled still are undecided.

Bishop is not challenged within his own Republican Party.

Cannon defeated Democratic Rep. Bill Orton in 1996 but was forced into a primary just two years later by a conservative-driven state Republican convention. Cannon easily prevailed, ultimately winning re-election.

In 2002 he had several legitimate challengers within his own party. He defeated them in the state convention.

This year, again, Cannon is challenged by viable contestants from his party's right wing.

Deseret Morning News graphic 3rd Congressional District poll Requires Adobe Acrobat.

Jones found Cannon has 40 percent support among all of his constituents, GOP challenger Greg Hawkins has 9 percent support and another 9 percent goes to former Republican state legislator Matt Throckmorton.

But what may concern Cannon is that 37 percent of the voters are "undecided." Even though he has been in office for eight years, more than a third of his constituents aren't ready to say yet that they want him again.

Among those who told Jones they are Republicans, Cannon's support increases to 50 percent. Still, 35 percent of the Republicans said they were undecided about whom they support. Considering only Republicans, Hawkins' and Throckmorton's support drops to 7 percent each.