Reader comments
Race tight between Chaffetz and Cannon

I guess most Utahns are too busy watching American Idol to be bothered with what Congress is doing to their country. Our Congress has the lowest approval ratings ever in reocrded history - 26% - and yet all 3 Utah congresscritters are well on their way tor e-election.

We get the government we deserve - and out government is busy giving away the country.

"Meanwhile, Matheson continues to drive Utah GOP leaders nuts with his 2nd District popularity."

THIS is why partisan politics is an absolute joke. Having met all 3 of our congressmen, it's as plain as the nose on your face that Matheson is the best we have out there, whether you're a Republican or Democrat. I'm glad to see him continuing to hold incredibly strong despite the GOP's redistricting. It's refreshing to see that voters here in Utah are able to look past the (R) or (D) after a candidate's name and vote for the actual candidate.

I know both of these men. It is NOT CLOSE who the better person and representative should be.

Go Jason.

I think it's clear that it's the immigration issue that is even giving Jason Chaffetz a chance in this election. I hope that Cannon gets booted out and Chaffetz gets a chance to do some good with the immigration problem.

*** "it's as plain as the nose on your face that Matheson is the best we have out there, whether you're a Republican or Democrat." ***

There's an immigration enforcement bill sponsored by Democrat Rep. Heath Shuler. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is blocking the bill from coming up for debate. It needs 218 congressmen to sign the discharge petition to bring it to the floor. Matheson claims he supports the bill - he's even signed on as a "cosponsor."

He has refused to sign the discharge petition to bring it up for debate, however. So - he allegedly supports immigration enforcement but won't sign apetition to bring the bill to the floor.

Does that make him a liar? You be the judge.

Better than the others my tush...

After several months of watching these guys duke it out, I am convinced that sending Chaffetz to Washington DC would be a terrible mistake. For months he has only regurgitated the same rhetoric we have heard every election cycle since 1998. We need more than pulpit pounding, load speeches and shallow thinking to change this country.

Chaffetz has provided no real solutions. His brainless idea of building concentration camps for Illegal immigrants is the type of knee jerk shallow thinking that has gotten us into this mess, it�s not realist. It makes good fodder for a Republican convention speech but would cost the American tax payers millions more than just deporting them. It�s an immature solution to a complicated problem.

I have got to believe that even though congress has its lowest approval rating ever, that there are still good men and women in congress that are doing the right thing for the right reasons. I believe Chris cannon is one of those men. There are two kinds of Horses in congress, Show Horses and Work Horses. After looking at all that Chris Cannon has accomplished he is clearly a work horse with a lot more work to do.

The candidates who will get my vote are those who will:

1. Close the borders and enforce illegal immigration hiring laws. Now, not later!

2. Get gas prices. Now, not later!

3. Open drilling for natural gas/oil in ANWR, outer shelf coasts, and elsewhere. Now, not later!

FIRE THE CANNON!
Cannon is nothing more than a "big government" guy. He rubber stamped all of Bush's policies, many of which Utahns balk at. Do you really want to send him back? He had 7 years to stand up for principles, but yet, he's easily swayed.

He may be a good man, but he's not the best for this job. I'm willing to give Chaffetz a chance and re-evaluate in 2 years his performance. Otherwise, I'll be forced to vote democrat this fall if Cannon slides through the primary.

Jason Chaffetz has fooled a lot of voters. Talk to those who have worked with him in government prior to his decision to run for office. The entire staff of John Huntsman is supporting Cannon for the simple reason they have worked with Chaffetz.

One Cabinet level Department head reports that in staff meetings Chaffetz was without question the most liberal of all present. Every issue that came up Chaffetz would push for the big government intrusion type plan.

The only thing that has changed is that Chaffetz realizes he has to be Mr Right Wing to get votes, so he does a 180 degree turn and now he is Mr Right Wing.

To typical white person, other than drilling in ANWR, how do you propose a member of Congress should reduce gas prices? Is there a magical bill called "Reduce Gas Price Act of 2008" that can be sponsored? You have part of the issue resolved by opening energy sources but completely miss the mark by your point number two. It implies structured economics, which is a nice term for Marxism.

And any candidate for Congress who can promise you they will happens to be a con-job!

Vote wisely!

The vote is between Cannon and "Not Cannon" and Not Cannon is winning. Cannon gets over 90% of his campaign funding from out of state, as does Jim Matheson. When it comes to a crucial vote, both of them vote the interests of their contributors and not the interests of the citizens of Utah.

Although both Cannon and Matheson are listed as co-sponsors of Heath Schuler's SAVE act, but Matheson refuses to sign the discharge petition to allow the house to vote on it. Cannon, facing a tough re-election fight because of his previous pro-amnesty positions, signed the discharge petition in an attempt to do dammage control. Both of them represent what's wrong with congress and should be voted out.

this could come down to a field goal for the win!

I would never vote for Cannon. The guy is a joke. He is Pro-illegal immigration. Fire the Cannon!

This is the end of Cannon.

Jason is fresh, has the energy to make it happen and is on the right side of the issues.

As one who is really interested in this race, what are your sources in saying that all of Huntsman's office is supporting Cannon. If that were true, I think it would tell me a lot about Chaffetz. As of now I haven't found anything definitively proving that Chaffetz left the Huntsman camp under bad terms. Help me find the information.

The day that cannon defeated matt throckmorton in the primary 4 years ago he was on ksl radio with his buddy tony yapias and said clearly that " we need these people here ( illegal immigrants) to hold down prices." Cannon has always been for illegal immigration. Big business wants the cheap labor and that same big business lines the pockets of our politicians. Thats why we need term limits. Give someone else a chance. If he does not do the job vote him out.

I really dont believe the bad things said about jason. But do you remember that ronald reagan was once a democrat. He became the leader of the conservative platform. sometimes with life peoples ideals and thoughts change.

i used to think that what was right was somewhere between the democrats and the republicans. I certainly dont feel that now. Go Jason

I have met both Cannon and Chaffetz while wandering in political circles, and my guess is that they would be just the same on about every issue. The only real differences, as far as I can see, are in personality. Cannon can be incredibly inarticulate at times, and Chaffetz is an insufferable, arrogant blowhard. I can't imagine the democrats putting up anyone who I could legitimately consider voting for (i.e. not a socialist), so I guess I'm stuck between the bumbler and the blowhard. Oh goodie for me.

I exhort voters in this district to look at Chris Cannon's pathetic track record and choose Chaffetz, despite his relative 'inexperience'. I believe Chaffetz is intent on changing the good-old-boy culture that Cannon has fostered from day one. Cannon is a joke!

Lot of deep thinkers in this group. Have any of you ever read the bills you "know" so much about? Or just press releases from groups raising money on the subject.

Jason is very liberal. Time will prove this accurate. He isn't going to win anyway. Right now the Australia issue is being resolved in a way that will cause much discussion. I am sorry for that.

It's a sad state when our selection is either Tweedledee or Tweedledum. When are we going to have someone with two brain cells to rub together? I am tired of these bottom dwellers being elected or running for election. Knowing both of them outside of politics, I vote to obstain.

Congress is a failure, and the problem isn't just everyone's Congressman but ours. Innuendo and sound bytes are what Chris Cannon supporters use to attack Jason Chaffetz, those who know him and know his ideals will be out there voting Chaffetz next month.

Please get informed, read the Chaffetz interviews, websites, and blogs. Talk to those delegates who studied issues and supported Jason by an almost 20% margin during the convention this month. I think it will be easy to see why Jason deserves your vote.