Jim Matheson forced into primary election with Claudia Wright for Utah Democrat nomination

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's only Democrat in Congress predicted he'd leave Saturday's state Democratic Party convention as the party's 2nd District nominee.

Instead, Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, faces his first-ever primary runoff, against a progressive, grass-roots challenger, Claudia Wright.

While Matheson wasn't facing the anti-incumbent fervor that permeated the GOP gathering at the other side of the Salt Palace Convention Center, his stance of confidence before the vote softened into a slightly less assertive look into the future after delegate results were announced.

"I'm think it's time for a primary, and I always look forward to campaigning," Matheson said.

Second District Democratic delegates gave Matheson a 55 percent-45 percent edge over Wright, but he couldn't garner the 60 percent required to avoid a head-to-head challenge on June 22.

In Wright, Matheson will face a challenger who shares many of the same traditional Democratic values but who called health care reform her No. 1 priority in a speech to delegates. Matheson's failure to support federal Democratic health care reform bills both last fall and this spring angered many in the party and sparked a wave of anti-Matheson sentiment at statewide caucus meetings in March. Matheson, however, said the positions he's taken on other issues will bring him victory this summer.

"I will just run on my record," Matheson said. "I'm proud of what I've done. I have a good record of accomplishments and think most people in the 2nd District feel good about it as well."

Wright and her supporters, however, think those voters are ready for a new face in Utah's only federal-level Democratic seat.

"I think there's a national trend basically to get rid of politics as usual," she said between hugging supporters lining up to congratulate her.

One of those supporters, Joyce Spinelli of Ivins, said Wright won because voters "lost trust in 'old guard' politics" and are looking for someone they can believe in.

Wright, a first-time candidate, credited her long experience as a history teacher with giving her the skill to organize an effective grass-roots campaign that tapped into the dissatisfaction with Matheson.

Asked if she was surprised by the outcome of the vote, Wright answered simply, "No." Wright said she believes she'll beat Matheson in the primary by winning the votes of Democrats who see him as leaning too far right.