The outspoken three-term incumbent Republican's public comments made Hallisey mad enough to jump into the race, he said.

"A lot of us who live in Kane County don't share Mike's vision for Kanab and Kane County," said Hallisey, the current executive director of the Kane County Office of Tourism and Film Commission. "Many of us are not in support of nuclear energy, the majority of us do not condone vigilante law, and quite a few people I've spoken to don't think increased speed limits are going to equate with safety."

The Hallisey-Noel matchup is just one of several already shaping up for November's election. Friday was the opening of a 10-day candidate filing period, which runs through March 17.

In west Salt Lake City's Senate District 1, a Democratic showdown will see incumbent Sen. Fred Fife facing Luz Robles, former director of the state's Ethnic Affairs Office. Fife has served a single four-year term in the Senate. Previously he spent eight years in the state House.

Fife says there was no surprise about Robles filing for the office.

"She's been working at it for about a year, so it's going to be stiff competition," Fife said.

Senate District 1, which includes the communities of Rose Park, Glendale and Poplar Grove, has long been represented by a Democrat. The exception was from 2000-2002, when Republican firebrand James Evans was elected to the seat following a Democratic rift.

"We need more progressive women carrying bills on social justice, health care, education and human rights," Robles said. "That's what I'm bringing to Senate District 1."

In another Democratic contest, Mike Miller is going up against incumbent Rep. Carl Duckworth in Magna.

Elsewhere in Salt Lake County, Sen. Chris Buttars picked up two challengers in the first day of candidate filing in his District 10, which covers West Jordan, South Jordan and Herriman.

Democrat John Rendell and Republican Gary Armstrong both want the seat.

Buttars, who caused a public outcry when he made racially charged comments on the Senate floor, also filed on Friday.

Armstrong, a 32-year-old manufacturing business owner, says Buttars has not provided adequate representation of the district.

"With the tangents this year and his removal from leadership of the [Judicial Confirmation] Committee and all his bills being removed for consideration, it left our district without representation," Armstrong said.

Current House Minority Leader Brad King, a Price Democrat, has filed to run for the seat of retiring Sen. Mike Dmitrich, a 40-year veteran of the Legislature.

Also, Carole Peterson, a former long-time clerk of the House, is running as a Democrat in House District 16 against Rep. Kevin Garn, R-Layton. And former Millard County Sheriff Ed Phillips, a Democrat, is running against Republican Rep. Brad Winn in District 68, covering Juab, Millard and Sanpete counties.

Republican Rep. Greg Hughes, an advocate for school vouchers, will have to defend his seat in the Draper area's District 51, against Democrat Lisa Johnson, the spokeswoman of anti-voucher group Utahns for Public Schools.

Elsewhere, former Democratic Rep. Trish Beck is running against Republican Rep. Sylvia Anderson, R-Sandy, in District 48.

smcfarland@sltrib.com