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Show TheSalt Lake Tribune A8 ELECTION 2002Sunday, Novvember 10,2002 Successful Republicans May Wantto Avoid Creating Extremist Image BY JILL ZUCKMAN an extremist image that could prompt KNIGHT RIDER NEWS SERVICE voters to turn back to the Democrats, they said WASHINGTON Now that Re- The key question for the re empowered Republicans is whether they can avoidthe overreaching that so often seems to afflict a party that publicans will control the House, Sen ite and White House, everyone from religious conservatives to anti-tax ac controls the levers of government, an tivists to business leaders has begun rging the GOP to push ahead on its alysts said. Aware of the pitfalls, some Republicans cite the leadership style of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., after the party took control of the Housein1995. It was so harsh that pet causes, demandingresults as a re vard for theirloyalty But some conservative activists nd Republicans are worried that the pressure to quickly satisfy important it narrow GOP constituencies could all those years of being out of power that cameacross and was to the detri- backlash that gave Republicans con- ment ofthe party,” said Gary Bauer, a former Republican presidential candidate who heads American Values, a public policy think tank. years. Some Republicans are warning their colleagues not to give in to certain groups andrepeat those mistakes. Others noted that the GOP controlled Congress and the White House when President Bush was elected in own,Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont, over control of the Senate to the Democrats. it repulsed voters andyielded a deci. sive re-election for President Clinton, they said. When the Democrats controlled the government in 1992, they sought to certain arrogance and gloating after push through an ambitious healthcare reform plan, prompting voter g toward the next election in 2004 is do,” the 42-year-old politician croaks during a post-l Matheson: interview Long Political in his now-quiet campaign headquarters. His voice has been ravaged by an election night that stretched Road Ahead into thenext day, followe President Bush. He voted for the resolution authorizing military actionin Iraq, supported creation of a new Homeland Security Department, backed the president's education reform bill and brokeparty ranks tovote for the Bushtax cuts. @ Continued from A-L redrawing of political bound: leather anda lotof tire rubber Nevad, and he opposed mak- iries, the district runs from that we're going to use.” plement the main onein Salt ing income-taxrate reductions permanent. He says he will continue voting against that Republican tax priority. “T don't see whatthe pointis Lake City. The logical location, to do it now, whenit's nine because of its years Salt Lake City’s Avenues neighborhoodto eastern Utah's Virtually guaranteed is a new office somewhere in the rural part of thedistrict to sup- Corners beforeit makes a sharp turn to pick up Garfield, Kane, Iron and Washington counties. \long the way, it encompasses population, would be in St. George. But Mathesonsays he has made no. decision yet. He plans to “pick the brain” of retiring Republican Rep. Jim Hansen, who has rey southwest Utah for22 years in the 1st Congressional District. all five of the state’s national parks, as well as the Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument “A Really Tricky Problem”: Conservative, rural values and But he voted against Bush's bt to create a permanent ar-waste repository in sists his positions won't. He maintain his support of abortion rights. The issue became a major point of attack in the campaign because of his vote against a ban on a type oflateterm procedure known as you represent it? Do you en. dorselocal useof land and get all the people in Salt Lake County mad because they're recreational types? I mean, how do you handlethis?It's going to be toughto handle.” Matheson understands the dilemma. “Wedo have workto Universityiin Cedar City. “His record has been exaggerated as far as voting on that, going to be difficult for him,” says Decker. “He can meet that challenge by not forgetting butit’s going to be a difficult issue for him,no matter what,” says Decker, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “If he goes too far, then he loses support as far as Democrats.” Swallow also hammered Mathesonon public-land issues southern Utah.. —onthe Arizona vowsto fight for St. George’s new airport and for construction of a pipeline to bring water Mathesonalso says he will middle-of-the-road. Republican populations, it’s . He needs to establish that rapport and con- tact with individuals who are very suspicious of him.” Being represented by a Democratfor a changewill “be yet on the topic. “Honest to God, I have put these blinders “partial-birth” abortion. side of the Grand Canyon — was Norma Matheson, widow of the former governor and motherof Jim Matheson. “But Representative Matheson can bridgethe gap onthat,” says Decker.“I don’t see that as nearly the emotional issue as Utah State University politi- cal scientist Peter Galderisi believes Matheson would do well to keep that laserlike focus on Congress. He says the Democrat miracle to hang on in the 2004 election, when President Bush Chairman Dave fire assist to Republicans down the line in Utah. “Tll predict that in two a in redistricting, perhaps creating a kindofpolitical Frankenstein for the GOP. “They may regret the day they turned Jim Mathesoninto a statewide candidate rather than isolating him,” says Buhier. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mathesonrun for governor, maybe in two years.” Another Gov. Matheson? Matheson often has been mentioned as the natural Democratic candidate for thatoffice, litically diverse as it growsin population, Decker says the opposite has occurred which would be an open election in 2004 if Gov. Mike Leavitt ceeltes to hangit up after three southwestern Utah over the last two decades. It is more Mathesen has steadfastly re- conservative and Republican fused to answer questions than ever. Matheson’s wafer-thin victory this time doesn’t by any means guarantee free ride in two years. ferent version of the ban, which Buhler, Beating the Odds: While conventional wisdom holds that an area becomes more po- cause it did not contain an ex- The Democratsays he voted against the Republicanbill be- “There is a tremendous mental somewhat traumatic for a number of individuals,” acknowledges Decker. “I don’t think it shouldbe.” the abortionissue.” clusion to protect the mother’s health. He did co-sponsora dif- on, blinders, andI havetried notto think about it. And with a 2,000-vote margin, I'm glad I gave every ounce offocus I had to this [congressional]election, believe me.” will have to repeathis electoral says bluntly. stantly in flux, Matheson in- problem,” says Ted Wilson,director of the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics. “He has this urban versus ruraldistrict, so how do advantage to an incumbent. But the way this district has been gerrymandered, particularly in regard to such strong years, Firm Beliefs: While his constituent services might be,con- out trying to please everyone, he may have to develop a split ity. got a really tricky ing a ban on late-term abortions and in the Legislature wenttoo far to the thirsty city from Lake Powell. ency than duringhis first term. “No. I am whatI am,” says Matheson. “There aren’t going to be issue changesorposition changes.” What that means, generally speaking, is that Mathesonwill continue hewing to the Forum, a conservative group advocatHiern ceiling ateas ol 60 tana, for undocumented immigrants. tor, believes his old colleagues i Although Republicans have spread rumors he supports draining Lake Powell, he says, “T've never supported that, and it’s a nonissue.It’s not going to happen.” tion. Mathesonalsohi with thesituationand,ifhesets D. Decker, of Southern Utah ters, executive director of the Eagle Standing by President Clinton’s side during that an- A memberof the Transpor- tation Ci houses andlibraries. Addition- more conservative constitu- part of his district, says Rodney ther take it up or not,” said Lori Wa- the true “deficit hawks.” a traveling office, with temporary stops in county court- says he will not swing to the right to please a decidedly hadthe health exception. Abortion could be a litmus test for Matheson in the new “We are going to continue to push our agenda, and the leadership can ei- former Republican state sena- says ally, a toll-free phone number Salt Lake County makes up 59 percent of the district Republicans controlof the Senate with agitate for attention to their causes. the GrandStaircase-Escalante Monument. expiring, ent factions of the Republican Party. Voters in St, George and the surrounding area voted 45 in manyraces: But a hardreality for southern Utahnstofaceis that urban Tuesday's midterm election that gave “The constituencies got really fired Bush fired them up,” Weyrich said. “Naturally, they expect some action, and it has to be explained to them whatthe realities are.” during the campaign, and some Republicans brought up the still prickly 1996 designation of from” area, where“two-part means a choice between differ- even bother fielding candidates think tank, has been warning GOP leaders to lower expectations despite ee Blue Dog Caucus of Democrats, which he proudly describes as Mathesonalsowill likely have percent straight-ticket, mostly for the GOP. Democrats don’t Congress Foundation, a conservative at least 51 seats. The GOP added to its Matheson, a member of the concerns reign in much of the andInternet accesswill help. Paul Weyrich, presidentof the Free It's areaction that works both ways. battery of news media inter views and congratulatory phone calls. “It's going to bea lot of shoe oil fields and south to the Four Americans for Tax Reform, wholeads a coalition of 120 conservative activists. who abandoned the party and handed ind ultimately their cause. “T think it’s fair to say there was a “There are unsophisticated and unhelpful parts of the coalition who stand up andsay, ‘I want‘X’ today,’” said Grover Norquist, president of 2000, only to quickly alienate oneofits result in political harm totheir party ‘The last thing the party needs look trolof the House for thefirst timein 40 about any gubernatorial aspi- rations, but acknowledges now, “I will have to give it thought because a bunch ofpeople are goingto ask meaboutit.” But he hasn’t spent any time tops theticket and gives a sure- he'll lose,” Galderisi Matheson disputes the idea that his highest hurdle is ahead. He believes he just cleared it. “Look, in terms of the [national Republican] tide and the external factors,I think I faced the worst possible situation this time. Redistricted, having not represented the area and a strong, strong partisan tide going against me,” says Matheson. “It'll be higher turnout[in 2004] and higher turnout always helps me.A presidential year is a better time for me. “T'm going to know people more as the incumbent two years from now.I don’t want to sound trite here, but even though they voted against me, mostpeople like me.” And if liking a candidate translatesinto votes, Matheson believes, he could have a long careerin politics. He supports more wilderness, but won't put a number on the amount ofacreage. “If you look at the millions and millions of acres of [Bureau of Land Management] land, to suggest noplace is worthy of preservation: is, I think, a little too extreme.” He promisesto continue his issue-based support Its Nutcrackers Around Here. of NORDSTROM Your gift with any Clinique purchaseof 19.50 or more. 5% off Looking for a Christmas collectible tradition that will last for generations? IF so, come see our handcrafted German nutcrackers from Steinbach and Christian Ulbricht Weeven havelimited editions signed by Christian Ulbrich Christopher Radko We also have our huge collection of Old World blown gloss omaments from (7) Christopher Radko fa, ond Polonoise. 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