Hot primaries, TRAX, taxes top summer's agenda

Summer is upon us, and the only sports left to watch are baseball and politics. With families heading to vacations in the cool mountains and sandy beaches, we're not sure anyone is paying attention, but die-hard politicos are finding fun in a handful of political races and big issues that are worth watching:

Pignanelli: The fight for a congressional seat between Rep. Chris Cannon and his GOP opponent John Jacob has allowed political reporters to fill newspapers with little effort. Special-interest groups and individuals on either side of the immigration issue have poured resources into this nationally watched contest. Cannon received a boost with an endorsement from President Bush (a dynamic unique to Utah). Both campaigns concur that almost 40 percent of the voters are undecided, which could be good news for Jacob. However, insiders are also revealing that Cannon is polling at least 10-15 points ahead. The elements exist for a close race on Tuesday.

Until last week, GOP challenger Mark Jacobs was closing in on incumbent Sheryl Allen in the hotly contested Bountiful House race. Many observers predicted he would take the lead through a barrage of negative mailers, sure to raise concerns among conservative voters. However, the media reported last week that Jacobs had filed bankruptcy twice and recently defaulted on a business lease. Good candidates can overcome such obstacles if they admit such mistakes early in the campaign. Jacobs committed a major political blunder by misleading supporters (especially voucher organization Parents for Choice in Education) regarding these personal problems. As a result, they have withdrawn financial resources to his campaign.

Another interesting element in this race was a recent full-page advertisement in a local publication, the Davis County Clipper, that carefully detailed Jacobs' financial difficulties. Normally, such attacks are made by shadow organizations with unknown sponsors. This ad, proudly signed by prominent Davis County leaders who are not hiding behind anything, signals the end of Jacobs' efforts.

In Senate District 9 (Sandy), the GOP primary between Bryson Garbett and Wayne Neiderhauser has become the personification of the current hostility between the House and Senate in the Utah State Legislature. Garbett is a former state representative who enjoys endorsements of former House Speakers Nolan Karras, Craig Moody, former Gov. Norman Bangerter and the current speaker Greg Curtis. Not to be outdone, Neiderhauser was handpicked by former Senate President Al Mansell and is supported by current President John Valentine. Capitol Hill insiders are revealing that some legislators are expressing anger (in that typical Utah passive-aggressive style) with lobbyists, campaign activists and others who "support the wrong candidate."