Reader comments
Governor, Shurtleff top polls

Edward Lalone | 3:28 a.m. May 25, 2008

I intend to vote for Jon Huntsman and Jean Welch Hill for Attorney General unforunately I haven't seen much of substance from Bob Springmeyer or I would give him more serious consideration. On the other hand I supported Jon Huntsman in 2004 and I intend to do so again unless conditions change in the coming months.

Yet I doubt they will since he has demonstrated his ability to lead effectively. I believe the Attorney General has shown an inability to give the State sound legal advice or to lead effectively in many ways even though I commend him in his efforts on fighting children's access to pornography.

At first I wasn't certain if I would support Jean Welch Hill because she didn't appear to have any prosecutorial experience but she addressed this issue in a conversation we had and she seems to have developed a sound agenda.

Yet, we will see where this year's election takes us yet I feel that Governor Huntsman has been a great advocate for Utah while Shurtleff hasn't been a impartial source of legal advice which I believe is required of the Office of Attorney General.

Edward L. Lalone
Democratic chairman, Orem 26

Being a Republican | 5:39 a.m. May 25, 2008

is not a good reason to vote for ths guy
If you had dealings with him, He is not interested in the people and the problems in the Judicial system
Therefore he thinks all is well.

Oh well | 6:28 a.m. May 25, 2008

A Democrats willingness to vote for Gov Huntsman speaks volumes about the type of man he is. Jon's friends also speak volumes, in specific Sen. McCain.

Too bad Utah is about the phoniest conservative state in all America. They pretend to be conservative, but their willingness to vote for a psuedo socialist disguised as a conservative is appalling. We get what we deserve.

I believe both of these men are "good men" in the definition of the words, however they are politically bankrupt. Shurtleff believes in a police state and the destructions of our constitutional rights upon the whims of his heart. Hunstman doesn't believe in anything conservative but rather believes he must pretend to be one in order to garnish support for the actual ones.

Comments continue below

John | 8:17 a.m. May 25, 2008

Huntsman was a disppointment when he cowardly failed to be a strong advocate for vouchers when it was put to a referendum.

Shurtleff has done a great job, including providing accurate advice to the Legislature on vouchers. The measure was absolutely legal, but was demonized by the teachers' union and thus failed in the referendum for that reason. Shurtleff was also correct to advise the school board to ignore Hill. Hill is clearly a partisan liberal activist for the education establishment, not an impartial legal advisor.

I will eagerly vote for Shurtleff, and unenthsiastically vote for Huntsman.

Status Quo | 9:33 a.m. May 25, 2008

As long as Utahns continue to vote blindly instead of actually researching the candidates that are running for office, we will be stuck with these incompetent leaders.

P.S. VOUCHERS are the WORST IDEA EVER presented to help public schools. If people that send their kids to private school want their tax dollars refunded to them because their kid isn't in public school, then fine, take your $25 refund. But to think you deserve THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS just because that is what it would cost to educate your child, ABSURD!

Anonymous | 9:56 a.m. May 25, 2008

Well Duh!

Utah is the State of Republican Conformity... don't question the leaders... don't require real accountability of those leaders... who do everything in the name of their religious agendas... who are masters of media manipulation and jack the truth around to meet their views of reality... and have lost all sense of real humanity and fair play...

Sound familiar?

Go figure!

And don't forget, every village has its idiot and a village in Texas has been missing its village idiot for the past seven years.

Madden | 10:11 a.m. May 25, 2008

How sad that the GOP picked a new face and fancy name in Jon Huntsman Jr. over Gov. Olene Walker last time around. She was exactly what Utah needed. Republicans should be ashamed for being duped by the usual image-is-everything politics.

While Mr. Huntsman hasn't messed up on the economy, I think his lack of taking a stand on issues he "supports" shows lack of conviction and leadership.

Oh, right, unless your wealthy buddy wants the public to help fund a soccer stadium that will almost surely fail to succeed financially. How on earth can Utahns let the RSL fiasco slide? It was a disgusting display of a big government power play.

Jerry | 12:04 p.m. May 25, 2008

No surprises here. Utahns vote for anything that calls itself a Republican. What is new! Nothing! Utahns, from all religions, just blindly continue to vote for people, Republicans, who lie to them and tell them what they want to hear. They never look at what they do, only listen to what they say.
Case in point, GW. Utahns still support him! Enough said!

Tumbleweed | 12:52 p.m. May 25, 2008

Wow! These 8 media groupees and their 200 or so fellow groupees don't like Huntsman and Shurtleff. That's ok because the 2 million of the rest of us who vote love 'em partly because Utah is STILL the best managed state in the union, one of the few that is still "in the black." Let's face it. You dislike these men because your values conflict with Utah values and these men have courageously lead the way in preserving the values that have made Utah a great state! Hooray for Huntsman and Shurtleff!!!!!!!!

Anonymous | 12:59 p.m. May 25, 2008

How sad that the GOP picked a new face and fancy name in Jon Huntsman Jr. over Gov. Olene Walker last time around. She was exactly what Utah needed

Why didn't Democrats nominate her? You had a choice. It seems to me that everyone touting her nomination was a Democrat. You guys had your choice, and you picked Scott Matheson, Jr. - fancy name and all, ya know.

I don't like Huntsman, but Walker was no better. I particularly loved the way she tried to win - "I've got some great new ideas for education!" exclaimed she.

Well great, Olene, but where were those ideas your first 25 years in elective office? She spent over a decade in the state legislature then another decade one heartbeat from the governor's mansion, then a year or so as governor, and suddenly she's just thinking up these great new ideas? Give me a break...

Anonymous | 1:05 p.m. May 25, 2008

I'd guarantee you that if you asked every single one of the 77% who plan to vote for Huntsman and of the 65% who plan to vote for Shurtleff that scarce few could name one single thing that Huntsman or Shurtleff has done to earn their vote. They couldn't tell you any worthy decision that either of the two has made, nor any major program that they've initiated or reformed. No, not even 1 in 10 could justify their vote.

The sheeple of Utah will keep voting GOP because that's what they're taught at church - "Never question authority."

I say that as a disappointed conservative who will be casting my vote against every incumbent this fall - against Matheson (D), Shurtleff (RINO) and Huntsman (RINO).

Re: Tumbleweed | 1:07 p.m. May 25, 2008

What values are those? Underfunded education?

False Claims | 2:12 p.m. May 25, 2008

Politics are not discussed at church. You only prove your ignorance when you make a claim like that.

People who have actually spent any amount of time attending an LDS church know that the leaders do not tell the congregation to vote one way or the other.

If you don't believe this, maybe you should infiltrate the LDS church and do an expose on them!

Just wondering | 2:53 p.m. May 25, 2008

I have yet to see Governor Huntsman stand up to the legislature one time. He is more like the 30th senator rather than the Governor. I wish he would just once, put the arogant legislature in their place.

anon | 4:24 p.m. May 25, 2008

Huntsman is pretty much a Democrat, but a decent guy.

However...JUST SAY NO TO SHURTLEFF!!!! RUN AWAY!!!!

And to Anonymous voting against every incumbent, that's fine, but I'd be looking at who the Repubs put against Matheson before casting my vote.....it just may be Merrill Cook....again...RUN AWAY!!

Republican State Delegate | 5:06 p.m. May 25, 2008

I intend to vote for a democrat or third party candidate, and not one of these two. Huntsman is not much of a governor and has this level of approval on family name alone. Few voters know how liberal he really is and as has been mentioned may as well be a democrat. Come to think of it that must be how he got 77%, most of the democrats must like him as well. The other 33% are probably conservative republicans or a third party folks.

Shurtluff has done some good, but uses his office as a political tool. Utah could do much better.

Anonymous | 5:53 p.m. May 25, 2008

Shurtleff loves polygamists and polygamists love Shurtleff. What gives?

Citizen Activist | 6:32 p.m. May 25, 2008

I love the fact that Springmeyer mentioned vouchers. Keep beating the drum on that one, democrats. It makes you look pathetic and foolish. It didn't hurt Huntsman's approval ratings during the referendum, it didn't hurt incumbents in convention races, and it obviously isn't hurting Shurtleff in his race against the teacher's union anti- voucher attorney, Jean Hill. You might want to take into consideration that only 38% of registered voters even showed up to vote on that, and nearly 40% supported vouchers. I'm also sure that many who voted against aren't one issue voters either. So you keep beating that voucher drum. How are you going to make your argument against the fact that we're the best managed state in the nation!

WatchDog | 7:48 p.m. May 25, 2008

I went to the immigration task force meeting last Thursday. Shurtleff said ...He swore an oath to support the constitution of the U.S. and the constitution and laws of the state. He pointedly stated that his position was that he has NO obligation to prosecute our federal laws! I was dying to ask him how about bank robbery or kidnapping! Of course, he was talking about criminal illegal aliens - and their greedy employers, whom he has NO intention of prosecuting either. He WILL NOT get my vote!

In the case of Huntsman, this very paper reported that he was off in Mexico, making alliances and treaties with them - in defiance of the 10th Amendment. He also, has NO intention of helping to stop illegal immigration. He WILL NOT get my vote.

Neither of these RINO's get my vote! They should not get yours either!

Attacks don't seem to hold true | 8:12 p.m. May 25, 2008

Bernick and Davidson have taken some low swings at The Gov. and AG lately. It appears they haven't worked too well.

Note to Jim Matteson, | 9:31 p.m. May 25, 2008

Please run again against Huntsman. You might win this time. Many of us will vote against Huntsman because of his stand on vouchers, his willingness to go against what the people wanted with the soccer stadium,ect. We don't want him in another four years!!! Please run again!

chark | 9:58 p.m. May 25, 2008

Governor Jon Huntsman promised a 10 point economic development plan that has placed Utah at the forefront of other states as we go through these trying times. It is forecast that Utah will be one of 5 states this time next year to still have a budget surplus and recently was named the Best Managed State in the United States. In the past year Proctor and Gamble, Disney, Hershey, Amer Sports, ATK's ammunition division, Oracle, and countless other Fortune 500 companies have chosen to open offices and plants in Utah. I for one will be castsing my vote for the man who hit the ground running four years ago with an economic development plan that has turned out to be the saving grace this state has had.
Thank you for keeping your promises to us Governor Huntsman. We need your leadership for another four years. You just keep on earning it.

HELP | 10:57 p.m. May 25, 2008

Gov Huntsman, please take a note from Obama's campaign, adopt a couple of issues and show a passion for something.
Open government doors and work to really CHANGE the hold the special interest has on our law makers. Please, I've lost all hope in our government.

Shurtleff needs to go!

Andrew | 4:04 p.m. May 26, 2008

In the race for AG, I have said before that the Democrats have put up a "sacrificial lamb". This poll confirms it. Whle my own numbers are also quite low, that is largely because few people are yet aware that there is s qualifiied Libertarian in the race. We will be working hard to change that. Look things over, and help support the only real alternative to the current Attorney General. More freedom, less government interference with your private life.

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