Thread: Behind a Utah Republican's Loss

Behind a Utah Republican's Loss
Wednesday, Jun. 25, 2008 By JAMES DOWNIE / WASHINGTON

In just the latest in a series of unexpected election year outcomes, incumbent Representative Chris Cannon lost his bid for re-election in the Republican primary in Utah's 3rd district, one of the most conservative districts in the country.

First-time candidate Jason Chaffetz defeated Cannon by a margin of 60 to 40%. Chaffetz told supporters after, "I think we've been given a mandate to return the Republican Party to its core conservative principles." Cannon blamed low voter turnout for the defeat, telling the Salt Lake Tribune that what happened was "a revolution. A revolution by the people sitting at home."

Elected in 1996, Cannon never enjoyed the security of some incumbents. "Chris Cannon has long had a lower favorability rating among his constituents than his fellow officeholders," said Quin Monson, a political science professor at Brigham Young University. "He never connected all that well with his constituents." Though Cannon was re-elected five times, his support for a guest-worker immigration program, and for a measure permitting states to charge in-state tuition to the children of illegal immigrants, hurt his standing among anti-immigration groups. Partly as a result, he faced primary tests in both 2004 and 2008.

Chaffetz, the new nominee, is a familiar face in Utah politics: he was the former campaign manager for popular Governor Jon Huntsman, for whom he also served as chief of staff. Chaffetz was also known statewide as a placekicker on the BYU football team in the late 1980s.

Despite weak fundraising, Chaffetz quickly gained support among local activists who remained disenchanted with Cannon. Like previous opponents, he pounded Cannon on immigration, but met even more success by painting Cannon as a representative of a Republican establishment that had become too profligate and too moderate for their constituents. At the state party convention in May, Chaffetz received 59% of the delegates' votes, 1% away from making a primary runoff moot.

There is also the matter of general voter discontent. In a pre-election poll done by BYU's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy, 40% of voters in the district said they were worse off than a year ago, and 80% believe the country is on the wrong track. Only 15% of respondents said they strongly approve of President Bush, a stunning low margin in a district that voted 77% for him in 2004.
http://www.time.com/time/politics/artic ... 94,00.html

Cannon blamed low voter turnout for the defeat, telling the Salt Lake Tribune that what happened was "a revolution. A revolution by the people sitting at home."

SOUR GRAPES by loser Cannon. Fact of the matter is, you loser...if there had been greater voter turnout you would have been thoroughly massacred. Now pick up your toys, go stand in the cornor and wear that dunce cap.

Well buddy if you can't convince your constituents to get out an vote for you because they don't trust you, you deserve to lose. Obviously, the voters did care enough to vote you back in. DUH

I bet Cannon will now lobby for Chamber of Commerce and write pro-amnesty op-eds for the Wall Street Journal.

Originally Posted by Populist

I bet Cannon will now lobby for Chamber of Commerce and write pro-amnesty op-eds for the Wall Street Journal.

Now that right there is funny... Maybe he'll even join ABC, NBC, MSNBC or CBS as a special illegal alien hugger correspondent.

Originally Posted by zeezil

Cannon blamed low voter turnout for the defeat, telling the Salt Lake Tribune that what happened was "a revolution. A revolution by the people sitting at home."

SOUR GRAPES by loser Cannon. Fact of the matter is, you loser...if there had been greater voter turnout you would have been thoroughly massacred. Now pick up your toys, go stand in the cornor and wear that dunce cap.

LMAO.. I heard that news today and laughed, thinking the same thing..!

Originally Posted by zeezil

Originally Posted by Populist

I bet Cannon will now lobby for Chamber of Commerce and write pro-amnesty op-eds for the Wall Street Journal.

Now that right there is funny... Maybe he'll even join ABC, NBC, MSNBC or CBS as a special illegal alien hugger correspondent.

..you guys are too much..!!

LMAO..!