Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is expected to be chosen the new vice chairman of the Western Governors' Association at the organization's annual meeting that begins today in Deadwood, S.D.

The election will put Huntsman in line to be WGA chairman in 2008. The current chairman is South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds, a Republican. Rounds will be replaced in Tuesday's election by the current vice chairman, Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal.

"It's great exposure for Utah," Huntsman's spokeswoman, Lisa Roskelley, said. Especially since the Colorado-based association, which represents 19 states, traditionally holds its meetings in the state governed by its chairman.

Huntsman hopes to use the position to focus the WGA's attention on issues that are important to him, Roskelley said.

"The governor has some major policy priorities that include energy efficiency and regional climate change issues. In order to be effective in those areas, there really needs to be a regional approach, so this will be a great forum for the governor," she said.

Huntsman, who is expected to run for a second term as Utah's governor in 2008, took a lead role in a key WGA initiative approved last year, a resolution on immigration that included a call for a temporary guest worker program.

At his first WGA meeting in 2005, Huntsman successfully co-sponsored a resolution on nuclear waste with then-Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn that suggested on-site storage should be an option to avoid transporting the radioactive material.

And he joined forces with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, now a Democratic presidential candidate, to push a Western states presidential primary on Feb. 5, 2008, to attract attention to the region. However, at least 20 states nationwide are holding primaries on the same date.

Other Utah governors have also served as WGA chairman. Former Gov. Mike Leavitt became vice chairman just months into his first term as governor, and former Gov. Norm Bangerter chaired WGA in 1986.

Utah's last Democratic governor, the late Scott Matheson, is credited with founding the association more than 20 years ago and served as its chairman in 1982.

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