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Utah Governor 2010

Crystal Ball Outlook: Safe R

Democratic candidates: Peter Corroon, mayor of Salt Lake county

Republican candidates: Gary Herbert, incumbent governor

Recent updates from the Crystal Ball

Update: June 3, 2010

Gov. Gary Herbert (R) succeeded Gov. Jon Huntsman (R), Obama’s U.S. Ambassador to China, in mid-2009. Herbert is much more conservative than Huntsman, who is very moderate by Utah standards. But that helped Herbert secure the GOP nomination in May’s obstreperous GOP convention, which sent conservative Sen. Robert Bennett (R) packing. Utah normally elects its governor in the presidential year, but vacancies like this one require a special election for a two-year term. This state reelects its chief executives with regularity, and they are almost all Republicans. The last Democratic governor, Scott Matheson, Sr., won the second and last time long ago, in 1980. The only Democrat with a real shot, Congressman Jim Matheson (son of Scott), wouldn’t run, and the party nominee is Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, an able fellow who can’t overcome the lopsidedness of Utah’s one-party system. SOLID REPUBLICAN HOLD.

Update: October 15, 2009

Gov. Gary Herbert (R) just succeeded Gov. Jon Huntsman, the new U.S. Ambassador to China. Herbert is much more conservative than Huntsman, who is very moderate by Utah standards. But that will help Herbert secure the GOP nomination in next year’s GOP convention–which, for all practical purposes, is the election. Utah normally elects its governor in the presidential year, but vacancies like this one require a special election for a two-year term. There have been rumors of an intra-party challenge to Herbert, and that’s possible in the deeply factionalized Utah GOP. As long as Herbert gets the party nod, though, he’ll likely be governor for many years to come. This state reelects its chief executives with regularity. The last Democratic governor, Scott Matheson, Sr., won long ago, in 1980. Democrats can save their money and time in 2010. The only Democrat with a real shot, Congressman Jim Matheson (son of Scott), won’t run. The Democratic nominee will probably be Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, an able fellow who can’t overcome the lopsidedness of Utah’s one-party system.