Already a weak minority in the Utah Legislature, Democrats are losing two prominent state senators from major swing districts from the east side of Salt Lake County.

Sen. Patrice Arent, D-South Cottonwood, announced on Wednesday that she plans to retire after one term in the Senate. She follows Sen. Karen Hale, D-Salt Lake, who has officially confirmed her retirement from the Senate after two terms.

The retirements of Arent and Hale leave seats from what may be two of the most closely contested districts in this year's election, especially Arent's Senate District 4, which includes parts of Murray, Salt Lake City and Holladay. Following redistricting that pushed her into a House district with Rep. Karen Morgan, D-Cottonwood Heights, Arent ran for the Senate and defeated Steve Poulton, who was the Senate Majority Leader, in a hard-fought, well-financed 2002 race.

While Hale said that part of her decision was campaign weariness — along with legislative campaigns in 1998 and 2000, she also ran as the Democratic lieutenant governor nominee on 2000 and 2004 — she also expressed disappointment in the recently completed general session. It was especially hard for her to watch programs such as the Medicaid dental and vision benefits, birth defect prevention, and disabled waiting list go practically unfunded.

"I felt so dissatisfied with the last session, and it's not just because of my bills that didn't pass," she said, referencing the primary seat belt law, in particular. "When you have a million dollars and can't fund $350,000 to prevent birth defects, it's difficult to handle."

In a news release, Arent said that she was ready to "move onto new challenges." Prior to serving in the Senate, she served three terms in the House.

"I am proud of my record of service, and grateful for the trust placed in me," she said.

Jones is running for Arent's Senate seat after serving three terms herself in the House, and she is currently the assistant minority whip. She said that she is confident about her chances to hold the Senate seat for the Democrats because her views are similar to Arent's, especially on education funding, women and children's health issues, and senior citizen concerns.

"We're losing our two female Democrats in the Senate, who deal with issues that I think people care about," Jones said. "But they are the same issues that I've worked on in the House, and I'd like to maintain that voice in the Senate."