"It's shock and awe," said Herrod, who admitted in his opening speech that other candidates were more polished and, displaying his nerves, momentarily referred to Alexander as Jeff Valentine.

Herrod graduated from Brigham Young University with degrees in international relations and family living and earned a master's from BYU in organizational behavior. He taught free markets at Eastern European universities for three years and is involved now in real estate development.

Stewart said Herrod, Curtis and David Starling — the last of the other candidates to be eliminated — earned the votes with their work.

"I did not go out and campaign as hard as the five who survived the longest in the voting, and even some I beat," Stewart said. "I have no illusions about what it's like up there (in the Legislature). It took a toll on my family, and it took a toll on me personally."

Rulon Garfield did not attend the election but said the effort made by most of the candidates monopolized the time of delegates.

"I got 10 phone calls a day for two weeks," delegate Doug Lund said. "I spent an hour a day reading e-mails. It made me feel really powerful, but I think it was harder on the delegates than on the candidates."

Among the District 62 delegates were Bramble, Provo Mayor Lewis Billings, Utah County Commissioner Steve White and Utah County Sheriff James Tracey. Steven R. Covey and Janice Kapp Perry nominated Warner, Congressman Chris Cannon, R-Utah, spoke and Utah Senate President John Valentine acted as rules chairman. A total of 73 of 86 eligible delegates, or 85 percent, attended and voted.

The first ballot created a bizarre comedic scene when three candidates tied for the last spot to advance to the next round. Two needed to be eliminated, and Valentine announced that party bylaws called for a coin toss.

The three candidates and the Senate president crouched together to toss the coins on the stairs in the front of the gym. Nine times in a row, all three tosses were the same, either all heads or all tails. Finally, on the 10th toss, one was different, and the other two were eliminated.

Laughing afterward, Valentine said, "That's why we don't allow gambling in Utah County."

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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com