Bell named lieutenant governor

Senate Majority Assistant Whip Greg Bell said he was seriously considering retiring from politics when he was approached about the lieutenant governor's job.

"I was wondering, is this the time to buy the travel trailer, make some money and have some fun," the Fruit Heights Republican told the Deseret News hours after being named by soon-to-be Gov. Gary Herbert as his No. 2.

After all, Bell, 60, has held public office since being elected to the Farmington City Council in 1989. He served four years on the council, eight as the city's mayor and is finishing his second four-year term in the Senate.

A lawyer and a real-estate developer, Bell said he was looking forward to focusing again solely on his professional pursuits, as well as his family. The oldest of eight children, Bell remains close to his siblings, and he and his wife, JoLyn, have six children and 17 grandchildren. He also had recently undergone successful prostate cancer surgery.

But then Herbert came calling.

With Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. awaiting confirmation by the U.S. Senate as ambassador to China, Herbert started searching for his replacement as lieutenant governor in mid-July, making a special trip to Bell's downtown law office to talk about the job.

Bell said he was not interested, at least not at first.

"It's certainly not the remuneration you can make as an attorney," said Bell, who joined a new law firm last fall as a partner. "It just didn't seem like it would fit into my life. And everyone has questions about being a No. 2."

Additionally, Herbert and his new lieutenant governor will face a special election in November 2010 for the remainder of Huntsman's term, then a regular gubernatorial election in 2012.

Still, Bell said, he liked what he heard from Herbert.

"I asked why he would consider me. He said, 'Your integrity,' " Bell recalled. Herbert also said Bell could add to the ticket. "He said, 'I'm what I am. I'm comfortable with what I am, but I'm not everything.' "

It wasn't until Bell spent a weekend talking with family and praying about the position that he said he made his decision.

"All of a sudden, it just clicked and I knew it was the right deal," he said, his voice filling with emotion. "It was one of those things where you just know. … I haven't really looked back."

Herbert had told Bell right away he was on a very short list of candidates and he was seen as the leading choice from the beginning. But Bell said he wasn't absolutely sure he had the job until Herbert called and offered it to him about 7 p.m. Tuesday.

"Don't play poker with this guy," Bell said of Herbert.