Huntsman to China, liquor laws among top stories

The media are bombarding us with variations of "top stories of 2009." So we're jumping on the bandwagon by offering an insider's view of 2009 political highlights. Here are our picks, along with the back story and impact:

President Barack Obama appoints Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. as Ambassador to China. The back story: Utahns are proud a local boy is on the global stage. But more than luck was involved. The Huntsman family is well liked by Senate Democrats, thanks to longtime generosity in campaign contributions. Huntsman gained further affection from liberals with edgy (and politically shrewd) actions: support of civil unions, initiatives on global warming, and over-the-top public criticism of GOP congressional leadership. Thus, Obama offered liberal Democrats an "acceptable Republican" for a high-profile position. The impact: Utah was already trending toward a more moderate position on gay rights, but Huntsman pulled the state along. Utah's international reputation is enhanced. Political intrigue was involved, although the state and country benefit from the Huntsman appointment. But it puts Huntsman out of contention for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.

Gary Herbert takes over as governor, selects Sen. Greg Bell as lieutenant governor and muscles aside possible 2010 GOP opponents. The back story: Luck plays a big role in politics, and Herbert was flat-out lucky to be in the right place at the right time when Huntsman left for China. But Herbert had also prepared for the moment over many years of political involvement. The impact: While Herbert is pegged to be a low-key, practical, nuts-and-bolts kind of governor, rather than a big vision, big idea, big initiative chief executive, he has made some shrewd moves. In personnel selections and on a few issues, Herbert has moved to the center, but not enough to upset his long-cultivated Republican base. Herbert's ideal positioning is to be viewed as a problem-solving, forward-looking conservative, but not as a scary, right-wing ideologue. His first few months have been OK.

Sen. Bob Bennett faces serious intra-party challenges for the GOP nomination. The back story: While Bennett is viewed by many knowledgeable political observers as Utah's most effective member of Congress, he hasn't cultivated the conservative base as well as he should have. Having the support of Utah's business and political establishment isn't enough. The impact: The combination of a handful of Bennett votes viewed as too moderate, his age, disgust with past GOP congressional leadership, the battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party, and opportunities created by Utah's unique nomination system have combined to create the perfect storm for Bennett. However, with a big statewide organization and a fat campaign wallet, Bennett has far more firepower than any of his opponents and remains the clear favorite to win.