Thread: Incumbent Wins Easily as Jacob's Immigration Challenge

Incumbent wins easily as Jacob's immigration challenge fizzles
By Glen Warchol
The Salt Lake Tribune





US Congressman Chris Cannon (center background) leans in with supporters to get a closer look at the early results coming in at the HIstoric County Courthouse in Provo June 27, 2206 during primary election for the 3rd congressional district. (Steve Griffin/The Salt Lake Tribune)

LEHI - Incumbency overcame the anti-immigration wave in Utah's 3rd Congressional District Republican Primary.
Five-term Rep. Chris Cannon had a commanding lead over political newcomer John Jacob with 89 percent of the precincts reporting at press time.
Cannon had collected 56 percent of the vote to Jacob's 44, with one-fifth of Salt Lake County's ballots still to be counted.
But by 11:05 p.m. Jacob already had seen enough. He called Cannon to concede.
After the call, Cannon triumphantly told a crowd of supporters gathered at Provo's Historic Court House: "This is my sixth time running for office and this is the first concession call I've ever received."
Cannon was surprised by the margin of his lead. "I would have called it much closer than this," he said.
A poll published last weekend by The Salt Lake Tribune also predicted a tighter race.
A despondent Jacob said he would now back his opponent, going so far as to
Election Results

These are unofficial final statewide primary election results.
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DISTRICT 3
Republican Primary
556 of 623 precincts (89 percent)
CANDIDATE VOTES
x - Chris Cannon (i) 29,951
John Jacob 23,342

UTAH SENATE
District 9 (GOP)
97 of 120 precincts - 81 percent
CANDIDATE VOTES
Wayne Niederhauser 1,929
Bryson Garbett 1,593

District 18 (GOP)
54 of 54 precincts - 100 percent
David Thomas (i) 1,435
x - Jon Greiner 1,675

District 26 (GOP)
75 of 88 precincts - 85 percent
David Ure 2,680
Kevin VanTassell 3,097

UTAH HOUSE
District 8 (Democrat)
23 of 23 precincts - 100 percent
CANDIDATE VOTES
Trent Alvord 245
x - Matthew Frandsen 270

District 10 (GOP)
26 of 26 precincts - 100 percent
x - George Garwood 1,300
Johnathan Aubrey 760

District 19 (GOP)
29 of 29 precincts - 100 percent
x - Sheryl Allen (i) 2,350
Mark Jacobs 1,345

District 20 (GOP)
27 of 27 precincts - 100 percent
Ronald Mortensen 715
x - Paul Neuenschwander 1,491

District 22 (GOP)
27 of 29 precincts - 93 percent
Deena Ely 547
Ted Shaw 450

District 25 (Democrat)
35 of 37 precincts - 95 percent
Josh Ewing 588
Chris Johnson 785

District 30 (GOP)
27 of 27 precincts - 100 percent
x - Kay Garske 373
Gary Guelker 149

District 42 (GOP)
27 of 31 precincts - 87 percent
Peggy Wallace (i) 817
Jim Bird 849

District 52 (GOP)
31 of 38 precincts - 82 percent
Carl Wimmer 1,575
Dennis Sampson 1,088

District 58 (GOP)
20 of 20 precincts - 100 percent
James Ferrin (i) 1,788
x - Stephen Sandstrom 1,887

District 61 (GOP)
23 of 23 precincts - 100 percent
x - Keith Grover 1,657
Garr Judd 1,425

District 70 (GOP)
36 of 36 precincts - 100 percent
Gordon Topham 2,247
x - Kay Mciff 2,644





say he would hold a fund-raiser for him.
"The people have chosen Chris Cannon. I will support him," Jacob said. "Cannon showed he does have support in Washington, D.C. - more than we ever knew."
Jacob blamed his defeat on President Bush's endorsement of Cannon, which was used in radio advertisements and recorded phone messages.
"It is hard enough to beat the incumbent. I had to beat the president, too," Jacob said. "It took the energy out of my campaign."
But Cannon criticized Jacob for running a campaign with limited proposals.
''This guy just said, 'If you want change vote for me.' I just don't think people accept that.''
Jacob had relentlessly attacked Cannon on his illegal-immigration position, making vague promises of tough reform virtually the only issue in his campaign. The race was watched nationwide as a so-called referendum on Bush's immigration reform plan.
Late in the campaign, Jacob was hit with a series of potentially devastating revelations. His image may have been hurt by allegations

John Jacob is behind at the polls early at his campaign party at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. (Stephen Holt/The Salt Lake Tribune)

that he circumvented the law to pay a Chilean immigrant couple and that the active Mormon had gambled in the past.
Jacob also complained to reporters that Satan was undermining his personal finances to derail his election.
''There's another force that wants to keep us from going to Washington, D.C.,'' Jacob said. ''It's the devil is what it is.''
News stories on these topics, along with Cannon's experience and congressional seniority apparently carried the day.
Cannon teased the 150 supporters who gathered at Provo's Historic County Court House saying he would make an announcement on immigration, which he called the ''I'' word.
Cannon said he wants to reconstitute his personal Immigration Advisory Committee and said former vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp would be a member.
He also wants input from the public on an immigration policy through a Web site offering a "wiki," which allows any user to change the content.
"America wants a conclusion to the immigration issue," Cannon said.
Reform plans became an emotional issue for many Utahns after thousands of Latinos demonstrated in Salt Lake City and nationwide earlier this spring against a U.S. House bill that would have made it a felony to enter the country illegally.
The bill died, the debate has not.
During the campaign, Cannon often appealed to voters saying, "racism and xenophobia are not Republican virtues." Effective immigration reform will require patience and reason, he said.
Apparently, voters agreed. His primary win virtually guarantees his re-election victory over Democrat Christian Burridge because the 3rd District is one of the nation's most conservative.
Despite constant debate on the issue, Cannon and Jacob's positions remained shades of semantics through the primary election day.
Cannon has long supported a pro-business approach that would allow foreign workers to enter the U.S. employment ranks. He adamantly maintained that he does not support amnesty. But his toughest stance, under pressure from anti-immigration groups,

Chris Cannon greets supporters at the HIstoric County Courthouse in Provo June 27, 2206 during primary election for the 3rd congressional district. (Steve Griffin/The Salt Lake Tribune)

would allow workers in the country illegally to pay fines, perhaps leave the country briefly, then return as temporary guest workers.
His steadfastness to the Bush administration won him a valuable presidential endorsement in the last week of the campaign.
But Cannon's voting record and statements ascribing xenophobia and racism to his opponents won him the wrath of anti-illegal immigration groups, including the Minuteman PAC and far-right firebrand Bay Buchanan's Team America PAC. The groups bought radio and newspaper advertising denouncing his immigration votes as undermining the nation.
Buchanan promised, "If we can defeat Chris Cannon on the issue of illegal immigration, it will send shock waves in the House of Representatives."
Jacob never came up with a detailed reform plan, arguing simply, "I couldn't do worse than Chris Cannon."
Jacob's spokeswoman Hayden Hill said he was taking the defeat particularly hard.
"John is new to politics," she said. "His expectations were maybe a little too high."
---
Tribune reporter Todd Hollingshead contributed to this article.
Cannon, Jacob nip 'n' tuck

Discouraging but not a complete loss. A lot of congressmen will be now be concerned how the immigration issue will affect their own re-election. Many will start re-thinking their pro-amnesty position.

Not only that, Sailor, but HOW BAD is the illegal immigration problem in Utah compared to other states ? I've heard it is not as bad there.

I think that's about to change, the illegals will probably make a bee-line for Salt Lake City, where they can expect a warm and hearty welcome by Mr. Cannon and the business people. Perhaps the people in Utah just don't need to worry about their wages and there is probably not a shortage of affordable housing there.

Just give it 6 months to a year !!! We know what we're talking about.

Let Utah learn hands on. Sometimes that's what it takes.

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