Geneva boss seeks GOP job

Geneva Steel boss Joe Cannon will run for Utah Republican Party chairman this year, perhaps facing former U.S. Rep. Merrill Cook for the top party post.

Cannon, a U.S. Senate candidate in 1992, said Thursday he wants to become politically active again after a nine-year absence during which he has struggled to keep the aging Utah County steel mill operating. Geneva came out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year and this week Cannon announced he's stepping down as the firm's president and CEO but will remain as chairman of the board to seek new opportunities for the mill.

State GOP chair is a voluntary post that carries no salary. Current chairman Rob Bishop is retiring after two two-year terms. State GOP delegates pick the top party officers in a convention later this year.

Cook, a maverick Republican who lost his 2nd Congressional House seat last year in a GOP primary, told the Deseret News on Thursday that Cannon's candidacy "makes it more likely I will run" for chairman, although he'll wait a month before making his final decision.

Cook, who hosts a daily drive-time show on K-TALK radio and is trying to restart the family mining explosives firm that made him a millionaire, reiterated that he won't seek approval of Republican Party insiders, like sitting U.S. congressmen, if he decides to run. Cook said his would be a grass-roots candidacy.

Cook said he's also considering running for his 2nd District seat again in 2002 but would not run for party chairman this year and his old seat next year.

Cannon said he has spoken to a number of leading Republicans in the state about his chairmanship candidacy, including his brother, Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, and senior Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Joe Cannon, 51, said he decided to look at he party chairmanship after his congressman brother, Chris, asked him about it several weeks ago.

But Cannon said he is not seeking the chairmanship at the request of, or on behalf of, any sitting officeholders.

"If people ask if I am the officeholders' candidate I say no. I know (the top officeholders) well and believe they are happy I'm running. But I'm not running for them," said Cannon.

Cannon said he will campaign at county GOP conventions across the state this spring and wants to include "the broad base of Republicans" in his campaign and his chairmanship, should he win.

In recent times state GOP chairmen have been sponsored by the leading GOP incumbents who face re-election during the chairman's upcoming two-year term.