UTAH VOTE NOTES 2006

Utah’s Election Season Heats Up

By Tracy Medley, 10-11-06

Has fallout from Rep. Chris Cannon’s recent verbal faux pas concerning the Mark Foley scandal spooked the congressman?

Rob Miller, Vice Chairman of the Utah State Democratic Party wrote in his blog, Utah Amicus that Cannon has refused at least two debates with his Democratic opponent Christian Burridge. According to Miller, Cannon demurred from debating Burridge on both KCPW-public radio and KTVX.

In related election news Sen. Orrin Hatch had his first of 7 debates with challenger Pete Ashdown Thursday at Tuacahn High School in Ivins, Utah.

Pete Ashdown came out swinging, accusing Congress of having a gross disconnect with the American public, The Associated Press reported. As Ashdown sees it, Congress is a hot bed of hypocrisy. “Why is this Congress so interested in monitoring the American people, even to the extent of violating the Bill of Rights, and they can’t even monitor themselves?” he said.

Hatch was no shrinking violet, offering up his 30 years of experience and maintaining that he is, “in the middle of the battle all the time.”

The men debated topics suggested by Spectrum readers, which covered the gamut from the war in Iraq to protecting children from predators.

As expected the candidates were at odds on the Iraq war. While Hatch retained his “stay the course” stance, Ashdown argued that there should be a “referendum” on the war until it can be determined what is best for both the U.S. and the Iraqi people.

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