Some Republicans pushing for crossover vote against Matheson

SALT LAKE CITY — The political fallout from last weekend's state GOP and Democratic conventions is already starting — a "Republicans for Claudia" movement among some Utah conservatives asking Republicans to jump into the 2nd District Democratic primary.

Retired schoolteacher Claudia Wright got 45 percent of the Democratic convention vote to move into a June 22 primary with U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson.

The district is GOP-leaning, taking in eastern Salt Lake County and counties to the east, south and southwest, and contains plenty of Republican voters.

Meanwhile, former state representative Morgan Philpot barely won the GOP 2nd District nomination outright Saturday, and so Republicans don't have a primary in that race.

That, some conservatives believe, frees up 2nd District Republicans and Republican-leaning independents to go into the Democratic primary and vote for Wright, who likely would be easier for Philpot to beat in November. But other conservatives say such an effort would be wrong, and they don't back it.

"For purposes of a Republican victory, I'd rather face Claudia," Philpot said candidly Tuesday morning. "But I'm just happy to face either of them."

Philpot said he's not behind the crossover vote effort.

At least one "Republicans for Claudia" website went online Monday, sponsored by tea party member Chase Everton. Conservative state Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, likes that idea, also, his Facebook page said early Tuesday, although later in the day he apologized and said it was a wrongheaded idea.

"I'm not happy about this," Wright said. "Republicans have their own U.S. Senate (primary) race, and I'd prefer a straight-up contest with Mr. Matheson" and to not have Republicans coming into the 2nd District primary.

Matheson said he takes seriously "every political dynamic" — like a conservative crossover — but in the end, he believes he'll beat both Wright and Philpot. "Crossover (attempts) have not manifested themselves in Utah," Matheson said.

Arguing against an effective crossover is the June 22nd GOP U.S. Senate race. It's the paramount primary, because it's likely the winner there — either Tim Bridgewater or Mike Lee — will win in November and could spend decades in Washington, D.C.

David Kirkham, the founder of Utah's first tea party group and an organizing assistant for more than a dozen others around the state, said Tuesday that neither he nor any of the tea party supporters he has spoken to are advocating for a crossover vote.