GOP chairmanship race could become contentious

Not in a long time has the Utah state Republican Party had a highly contested chairmanship race.

There is usually the establishment candidate — backed by top GOP officeholders — and a number of upset right-wingers, who, for any number of reasons, have complaints against the powers that be. But the races aren't close.

In my review of GOP chairmanship elections over the last 25 years, some chairmen have run uncontested.

This year could be different. At least two very qualified candidates with ties to party heavy-hitters say they are in the contest.

Both Dave Hansen, political consultant to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Tim Bridgewater, former top campaign aide to John McCain and close adviser to Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., say they are going to run for party chairman.

Current chairman Stan Lockhart, a Micron lobbyist, is not seeking a second two-year term.

Current party vice chairman Todd Weiler says he's going to seek re-election to his post. And any number of others are reportedly looking at GOP offices, as well.

For example, former state Rep. Morgan Philpot is looking at the vice chairman race, it is rumored.

If both Bridgewater and Hansen stay in the chairman's race up through the June state GOP convention, Republicans could have a battle like Democrats did in 1989.

Way back then (an eternity in modern political memory, which can be short), Democrats had a real choice and a real party split.

Local attorney Peter Billings Jr., backed by the Democratic old-guard, like former Govs. Scott M. Matheson and Cal Rampton, faced then-"young turk" Rep. Kelly Atkinson, backed by organized labor.

I covered that short, bloody race — even got roughed up by a tough-looking AFL-CIO member when I didn't want to leave the labor-caucus meeting the morning of the convention. He "escorted" me firmly from the room.

During that contest, Sen. Eddie Mayne (the AFL-CIO state president) coined the witty (and somewhat-accurate) phrase to describe the Matheson/Rampton/Billings wing of the Utah Democratic Party: "The white wine and Mercedes set."

Anyway, Billings won, and the labor wing was much displeased for some time. But the Utah Democratic Party survived, even though the sniping was interesting to watch.

(An aside: Wayne Holland, a union leader, will seek a third, two-year term as state Democratic Party chairman this year and likely won't be seriously challenged.)