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Filing deadling and Caucuses quickly approaching.

utbagpiper

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Please feel free to forward to interested persons and lists.

Hello all.

I want to remind you that this coming Monday, March 17 (St. Patrick's Day) is the last day to file for office for elections this year. Details can be found here: http://www.elections.utah.gov/howtobecomeacandidateforstateoffice.html

We need good people to file for office in several races including as Republicans against Speaker Greg Curtis and against House Rules Chairman Steve Urquhart. Both are safe GOP districts and so the only practical chance to oust these two is at convention or primary, and convention is the best bet. I hear through the rumor mill that Urquhart may be running for the Senate seat being vacated by Hickman's retirement. That would make his current House seat an open seat and him not the incumbent in the Senate race.

Both Curtis and Urquhart were TERRIBLE on gun issues this session. Indeed, both were less than completely honest in how they dealt with the issue and with representatives of various pro-gun groups as well. They are more or less solely responsible (so far as I know at this point) for the defeat of the parking lot preemption bill that would prevent being fired for having a gun locked out of sight in your own car in a company parking lot. Ditto for hijacking the pro-gun, housekeeping/clarification bill on open carry and turning it into a hostile, anti-gun bill that had to be defeated.

Please help identify potential candidates for these seats.

Also, please be sure your calendars are marked for party caucuses on Tuesday, March 25. In many cases, races are decided by who shows up and gets elected delegates.

The UEA/PTA is targeting several of our friends (and a few enemies) for defeat based on their votes on the School Voucher issue. We really need to support Senators Mark Madsen and Mike Waddoups and Representatives Oda and Sandstrom for their strong support of our RKBA. Sen. Chris Buttars has also done a fine job of supporting RKBA and last year got up literally from his death bed to personally chair a committee hearing and use the rules to full effect to try our bill out of committee with a positive recommendation. Please contact the above legislators directly to see how you can help support their re-election efforts. Contact info available at goutahorg.org and then clicking on the legislative contacts page. Be sure to use home or business contacts as the legislature is no longer in session.

Our efforts over the next week or two will largely determine how much work is required to protect our rights over the next two YEARS. I will often "bribe" my neighbors and friends by promising not to pester them too much about politics over the next two years if they will simply attend caucus meetings and vote for pro-gun delegates.

REGARDLESS of your personal political leanings, consider attending the caucas of the political party of the incumbent in your area. Most leg districts are safe districts and not likely to change party hands. Anti-gun GOP incumbents are best defeated in the GOP convention by delegates throwing support to a pro-gun challenger. Similarly, anti-gun democrats (most of them sadly) are best defeated in their convention. In fact, we are often better off defeating an anti-gun incumbent even if we only replace him/her with another anti-gun incumbent. Even this situation can benefit us as it sends a message that we will defeat those who vote against us. And new blood is often more maliable to respect our rights than are those with proven track records of attacking us with their votes.

Thanks.

Charles
 

Bflamante

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Mar 3, 2008
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Bountiful, Utah, USA
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Can an average joe with an 8-5 job still be able to do a good job in the House? I have always mused at running, but not sure how i could do it and still pay the bills/keep a job. How is it done??
 

utbagpiper

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Bflamante wrote:
Can an average joe with an 8-5 job still be able to do a good job in the House? I have always mused at running, but not sure how i could do it and still pay the bills/keep a job. How is it done??
Depends. Legislators are paid for their service. It is something like $800 a week when they are in session, plus per diem for those who travel from outside the SLC area. Depending on what you do, this might be a pay cut, or a nice pay raise.

Biggest issue is getting time off work to do the 6 week session. Government employees are guaranteed time off. Private sector has to work it out with the boss. Some are very accomodating recognizing the value of a legislator from their industry. Others might be less so.

Who is your current State Rep and Senator?

Charles
 

Bflamante

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Messages
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Bountiful, Utah, USA
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I am in Senate 23 - Eastman and House 20 - Neuenschwander. Six weeks huh? Not sure that would be to doable. I will have to think about it.
 
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