But he voted for President Bush's tax cuts. And he's voted to make permanent some of those tax cuts _ like the child tax credit, marriage penalty, lower tax rates for low-to-moderate income Americans and the estate tax _ while opposing votes to make permanent other parts of the Bush tax plan at this time.

He voted for Bush's recent forest management plan, much to the displeasure of environmentalists.

And local labor union leaders literally yelled at him early in his first term when he voted against some of their trade measures, he recalls.

Some say Matheson has become even more conservative over the past two years — a political function of seeing his 2nd District moved from wholly in Salt Lake County to include 14 counties to the east and southeast.

The district "is the size of Alabama. And not all rural. Washington County now has 100,000 people and is urban," he notes.

But it is very Republican, and Matheson won only 27.5 percent of Washington County's vote in his narrow defeat of Swallow two years ago.

From June 2003 to June 2004, Matheson has visited Washington County 12 times, his aides say. "They are getting to know me down there. And now when (Republicans) say things about me that are not true — like I favor draining Lake Powell when I don't — then people will just know that's not how I feel."

He carried Salt Lake County by 60 percent in 2002, lost the other counties by 60 percent. "I averaged only 40 percent" outside of Salt Lake County. "I don't think I could do any worse this year" after spending so much time in those outlying areas.

Still, is Matheson becoming even more conservative — more out of step with national Democrats?

In saying yes, critics point to his switched vote on partial birth abortion.

Matheson voted against the new ban in his first term, but turned around and supported it in his second term. He says redistricting him into a more GOP district didn't have an impact, rather after talking to more of his constituents, including "religious leaders," that he decided banning the procedure was very important to those who elected him.

"This is a very different district than before" redistricting, says Matheson press aide Alyson Heyrend in defending Matheson's decision not to attend the convention. "It's a very different district than the old 2nd District" held by Democrats Wayne Owens and Karen Shepherd, who did go to their national Democratic conventions.

Shepherd, who won the seat in 1992 but lost it just two years later, agrees.

And, says Shepherd, she would not be surprised if the Republicanization of the 2nd District is driving Matheson further right. It's a natural flow, she says.