Comments about ‘'Citizen candidate' picked to challenge Rep. Matheson’

does this mean Matheson is not a "progressive" just a Democrat?

That's correct, Appleseed. Matheson is more of a classical liberal, the type that believe in big government but still respect traditional cultural values. In contrast, progressives are ultra-lefties who not only embrace soft totalitarianism, but who want to overturn traditional cultural values, enshrining abnormality.

Compare the most recent Salt Lake mayors. Ralph Becker is a liberal, while Rocky Anderson is a progressive. Becker unites, while Anderson polarizes. Liberals tend to be collaborative, while progressives tend to be confrontational.

Time for Matheson to get thrown out of office by a true conservative, not an even worse liberal tree hugging socialist!

Desert Dawg- I agree that some progressive liberals do tend to polarize by supporting policies that might be less attractive to moderates and conservatives, but democratic voters in Salt Lake are trying to send Matheson a message that he won't get their support by being a milktoast and trying to please everybody. The idea of a citizen's candidate arose because Matheson seems so centered ensuring his reelection. You might say that Matheson isn't progressive enough for most Utah Liberals, and this is the result of that.

The rest of the district needs to rise in revolt against the extreme views of the Salt Lake group. There are traditional families who love the enviroment and still accept and love those who have different family values. The in your face style of politics is inmature and show nothing but hatred and intollerance, These groups should understand this. Rocky believed in what he did as mayor but he did a lot to hurt politicaly and other ways Salt Lake City. He was like a spoilt child if he did not get his way. Very offensive to many people.

So, that means that I and many like me will call the new self-appointed "progressive" (itself, an elitist narcissistic term) candidate the Regressive, Wacko Candidate. The problem with the national democratic party is that there aren't ENOUGH like Jim Matheson in it. And by the way, milktoast is actually spelled "Milquetoast." Nothing wrong with Milquetoast.

Wow -- look at the picture. There's about, what, 25 people in attendance at this "rally?" Gee, I'm verclempt at such overwhelming support for throwing Jim Matheson out of office and replacing him with a fire-breathing radical Socialist, Progressive wacko. Enjoy your 15 minutes, folks.

So the die hard Lenninists throw a part and only about 100 people show up. If this were San Francisico likely a much bigger turn out, New York even larger.

Almost makes me like Matheson.

The Loony Left of the Democrat Party is hoping to politically kneecap the state's most successful Democrat.

This must be a secret Karl Rove operation, no sane Democrat would be this stupid.

No Rocky?!! I thought for sure he would be at the top of the list!!

Compare Matheson's record to the platform of the Democratic Party and he looks a lot like a conservative Republican. He embarrasses SLC with his childish antics in Washington.

This whole operation will serve to make Matheson even more popular with Republicans and assure his re-election even if the Democrats lose the House of Representatives in the coming Republican tsunami.

one Democrat who is sick and tired of the DINO Jim Matheson. The Democrats are the liberal party and the Republicans are the conservative party . Matheson votes like conservative republican and I will never vote for him . Never . If this means getting a republican in office then so be it . At least with a republican they are what they say say they are . Jim Matheson is a phoney democrat who really needs to change parties or stop acting like George W Sarah Palin Matheson

is/was a NANNY LIBERAL. Not a progressive but a nanny . Rocky wants EVERYONE to xerascape their front yard . Rocky wants EVERYONE to not use plastic bottles . Rocky wants EVERYONE to not smoke in a bar . Rocky wants EVERYONE to be just like Rocky .Jim Matheson is too conservative for my liking but if the alternative is Rocky I'll just vote for Matheson . No wait I really wont do that I'll just vote for the Libertarian who will get about 58 votes. No way would I ever vote for that king of all phonies Jim"nobody would know who I was except my father was governor " Matheson

When the extreme left or right take on Matheson, they lose. He has proved that in every election he has run for Congress and will do the same, this time again. His message of Utah First resonates with most Utahns, thus his popularity.

Statements like "stop burning fossil fuels today" are absolutely stupid and tell the listener that that it is not a serious discussion. If we stopped burning fossil fuels today, we would be in the dark and everyone would be out of work. Tell me what a more realistic timetable is. We need to head toward nuclear power and oil independence, but how long would it realistically take us to really stop burning fossil fuels? Let's talk in realities and maybe more people will join in a serious discussion.

I hope all those tree huggers, who cheered the concept of stopping burning fossil fuels, walked to the meeting rather than driving or taking public transportation. Otherwise they display the hypocrasy that is evident to everyone else.

Go for it!! If Matheson loses the primary this seat will belong to the GOP. BTW--the meeting looked packed!

I'm also tired of DINO Matheson. @ DeseretDawg, Matheson is in no way a "classic liberal" - classic liberals believe SOME government programs outside of DOD actually are good for the USA. As far as I can tell, Matheson is totally on board with the "Government is the Problem" mantra; he called the Healthcare Reform Bill "socialist." This is a comment only a right-of-center Republican typw would make. And that's what Matheson is. It's not a problem if conservative Utahns want to reelect him - but it's time that those of us whom he does not represent speak up. The tree-hugger-hating, conservative, my-family-values-are-the-only-good-ones Utahns are already well represented by both Senators. Some of us who are more centrist would just like some representation at the Federal level, too.

I am voting for Morgan Philpot.