News analysis: Sheldon Killpack and Mark Walker — 2 friends rise, fall in politics

SALT LAKE CITY — They met in the Utah Legislature, two up-and-coming Republicans, tall and good-looking guys, maybe a bit cocky.

But why not?

They already had political success in their 30s, with good careers, and they were married and raising young families. As part of the powerful Republican political machine, they were rubbing shoulders with the state's top political leaders.

And they could well become part of that crowd, both hoped.

But within two years, the political and personal lives of Sheldon Killpack and Mark Walker crashed on the rocks of public limelight.

They were out of the Legislature because of bad personal and political decisions. And while one has gone through Utah's criminal legal system, the other is now starting that painful journey.

Still, they stayed friends.

Killpack stood by Walker as he was overwhelmed and washed aside in his race for state treasurer in 2008. Walker resigned his Sandy House seat in June 2008 faced with a House ethics investigation over bribery charges leveled at him in the GOP state treasurer nomination race.

And Walker was with Killpack Thursday night when the former Senate majority leader was pulled over for investigation of DUI just after midnight, arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County jail.

Both men are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Killpack admitted to the Deseret News Saturday — when he announced his resignation as the second most powerful member of the state Senate — that he is a social drinker. It is not known if Walker was drinking or not that evening.

But further questions are now swirling around Walker, too. If he was sober, why didn't he take the wheel instead of letting his friend drive?

And Walker also is suffering from the Thursday night incident. Friday, he quit his new job as an economic development manager for West Valley City — a job he was enthusiastic about and hoped was a move toward rebuilding his career, friends said Sunday.

"He's just another sad story, along with Sheldon," said one top GOP legislator. "I don't know what Mark is going to do now." He added that the aid Walker received in 2008 from political friends may not be coming around a second time.

Walker's fall