Herbert names 2 possible picks for lieutenant governor

Soon-to-be Gov. Gary Herbert confirmed two names on his lieutenant governor short list Monday, which he said is down from 26 to four or five.

Herbert said both Senate Majority Assistant Whip Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, and Utah Transportation Commission Chairman Stuart Adams, another Davis County Republican, are among the remaining candidates.

The Deseret News has learned the others still on his list are Salt Lake County Commissioner Michael Jensen and Salt Lake Chamber Chief Operating Officer Natalie Gochnour.

"We have a lot of good, qualified, capable men and women who could do the job," Herbert told the Deseret News. "But it is a difficult decision. The challenge for me is I have four or five good people and I can only pick one."

Bell, a longtime friend of Herbert's who is viewed as a moderate, has been widely touted as a good pick for the No. 2 spot when Herbert replaces Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., likely on Aug. 10. Bell, an attorney, served as mayor of Farmington before being elected to the Legislature.

"Greg's a very capable guy," Herbert said. "He comes from the private sector, he's been a former mayor, he rose to leadership in the Senate and he's just an all-around good guy. He is in the top three or four."

Adams has not received as much media attention. But Herbert clearly likes him as well.

"Stuart is a great guy. I've known Stuart for a long time," Herbert said, noting he is a former state representative as well as a successful businessman. He also has, Herbert said, "a good personality, someone I think I could get along with very well by the way, so yeah, he'd be at the top of the list, too."

The two are "not the only ones I'm looking most closely at," Herbert said. "There's a couple of others I'm looking at, people probably everyone knows about and has heard about who are under consideration."

Herbert declined to name other candidates, but the Deseret News has learned they are Jensen and Gochnour, both frequently mentioned as potential picks.

Bell and Gochnour declined to comment.

Jensen confirmed he has talked with Herbert about the job but said he's more likely to continue with the Unified Fire Authority because he's just seven years away from retirement. He is expected to be offered the chief's position.

"We've discussed attributes and qualities he would like to see in a future lieutenant governor," Jensen said. "My name did come up and we talked a little bit. There was never a formal offer. I would consider it a long shot for me to leave the fire department."