Cannon and Greene to face challengers

Two-term state Republican Party chairman Joe Cannon will have three challengers when he seeks re-election in the state GOP convention later this month.

Party vice chairwoman Enid Greene had two people file against her as she goes for a second two-year term. Both Cannon and Greene are endorsed by leading GOP officeholders.

Cannon, who would set a modern record at six years as chairman, faces three men who have been critics of party operations in recent years. The state party has around 3,500 delegates, but if history holds true maybe half will show up to vote in the Aug. 27 organizing convention at Salt Lake Community College.

Greene, a former U.S. House member, however, is challenged by party stalwarts: Todd Weiler is the current Davis County GOP chairman; David Spackman has been an active party member for years, recently writing a GOP e-mail newsletter.

Cannon, who also sits on the Deseret Morning News' board of directors, says should he win he doubts he'll run again in 2007. "I have no interest in running" for an unprecedented fourth term. "But I suppose it depends on who runs" to replace him, said Cannon, who has not taken a salary as chairman.

Cannon faces Drew Chamberlain, who over the past several years has participated in a number of challenges to Republican Party leaders; Jeremy Friedbaum, who ran in a primary against Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah (Joe Cannon's brother), in 1998; and Patrick Reagan, who several months ago ran for and lost the chairmanship of the Salt Lake County Republican Party. Chamberlain lost handily to Joe Cannon in the 2003 convention.

In his address to the county convention this spring, Reagan said that he offered an important alternative to "party insiders" who are, and have, run the Utah GOP for their own and the party establishment's benefit. "If we elect the insider candidate, we'll continue down the same path we're on," Reagan said.

But Joe Cannon said the party has operated well during his tenure and many GOP candidates have been elected over the past four years. He doesn't take his re-election as a given. "I take these (challengers) seriously and I'll campaign for the office. I hope the delegates vote for me," said Joe Cannon.

Besides the GOP state leadership races, the off-year convention will also hear a number of proposed party constitutional amendments and general resolutions.

Perhaps the furthest-reach- ing is a resolution proposed by Nancy Lord, the current state party national committeewoman.