Luckily, we carefully tested the spot, because it bombed badly. It was so sickeningly sweet that the most common focus group comment was, "This just makes me want to throw up."

Nancy Workman's media strategy blaming politics for her troubles is clearly a high-stakes gamble that will only work if she gets to court and is acquitted. Her spots are designed to plant the "it's all politics" idea. Then, if she's acquitted, she can say, "See, I told you so." If she's not acquitted before the election, then she's doomed no matter what.

Peter Corroon's biggest problem is he is still almost completely undefined to voters. It's a dangerous and vulnerable position to be in, because if Workman should be acquitted, she has enough money to define him as a Howard Dean liberal (Corroon is Dean's cousin and directed Dean's campaign in Utah). Corroon must raise enough money to introduce and define himself to voters before someone else does.

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