The couple distributed wheelchairs, taught English classes and did other service work as part of a non-proselytizing mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They learned Arabic and garnered an understanding of the Middle East from their on-the-ground experiences.

When they returned to Utah in February, Bill Dew almost immediately filed as the Republican contender in the 2nd Congressional District against incumbent Jim Matheson.

He said it was a desire to serve his country and the issues that spurred him to run against the four-term incumbent.

Both Dew and Matheson view the economy as a top issue in the campaign and in the country.

Matheson is trying to find a way to help the typical citizen without giving Wall Street a free pass for bad behavior. He voted against the $700 billion bailout bill in Congress.

"We should all be cognizant of the fact in these tight credit markets, where for years we've had individuals, businesses and the government living on credit in excessive ways, it's going to create some economic distress whether Congress acts or not," Matheson said. "We will try to mitigate that distress to some degree, particularly for those who had nothing to do with getting us into this mess in the first place."

Dew doesn't want to see Utahns hurt, either.

"As a builder, I went through three recessions. I put on the carpenter's apron three times because I needed to provide food for my family and make a mortgage payment," he said. "I want to keep the economy going strong because it's no fun looking for work."

He sees energy as being the "engine that runs the economy."

He wants to have oil shale production, drilling offshore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and nuclear energy.

"Congress needs to open the door and American free enterprise will walk through," he said.

That's an area in which he and Matheson generally agree.

Matheson would like to see oil shale production in Utah and offshore drilling. However, he says ANWR drilling is unnecessary because most oil would be found in coastal shelves. He also says there are leases that aren't drilled on in Alaska.

"You've got to put everything on the table," he said. "If we want to pursue the goals of stability in energy pricing and of energy independence, I think oil shale represents one of the game changers of our whole energy dynamic in this country."

While Dew prefers to look at controlling illegal immigration as a major factor in the economy, health care plays a large role for Matheson.

He fought to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program, a bill which President Bush vetoed, and he'd like to see fundamental reform in general health insurance.

The three main areas he focuses on are access, cost and quality. He lauded Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. for creating a task force that is looking into health care issues, and Matheson says the solutions likely will come from individual states.

Dew says the free-market system will take care of health care.

"The closer [medical] decisions can be kept to the people, the better those decisions can be," he said.

Dew says he hopes to take Matheson down on the issues, but Matheson often finds himself in agreement with those on the other side of the aisle. He voted for the Bush tax cuts and voted for the gay-marriage ban.

That's a quality Kirk Jowers, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics, said makes Matheson "beloved" in his district.

"He really knows what his constituents want. He has very defined guiding principles . . . that, for the most part, match up quite well," Jowers said during a RadioWest panel discussion. "It's refreshing to see someone not take orders from [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi or Republican leaders, but vote his conscience and for his constituents. That's a lost art."

Todd Weiler, executive director of the Utah Republican Party, realizes Dew "has a steep hill to climb," but focusing on issues may be enough.

"It's been a topsy-turvy, crazy year. I don't think any rational person would have thought Jason Chaffetz would have knocked Chris Cannon out," he said. "Bill Dew could repeat that kind of miraculous success."

Dew is mostly self-financing his campaign, with a $349,000 loan. Matheson has nearly four times that much with $1.3 million in cash on-hand.

But for now, both candidates are working hard to sway voters.

Dew is traveling throughout his district to learn more about voters' issues, ranging from oil shale issues in Carbon County to growth issues in Washington County.

Matheson said he's not taking anything for granted, as evidenced by his campaign office: The walls are covered in oversized district maps with each precinct colored in and stacks of yard signs stretching from floor to ceiling, ready for distribution.

"The pedal is all the way down," he said.

smcfarland@sltrib.com

Democrat Jim Matheson

Incumbent seeking fifth term. Serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Science and Technology Committee.

* Age: 48

* Profession: Former energy consultant

* Campaign funds: $1.3 million as of June 30

* Web site: www.mathesonforcongress.

com

* Fun fact: Helped set a world record in 1978 for largest game of musical chairs, with 1,789 chairs in the game.

Republican Bill Dew

His first try for any major political position.

* Age: 56

* Campaign funds: $213,500 as of June 30

* Profession: Former home builder

* Web site: www.billdew.com

* Fun fact: "I love to cook Dutch oven." His all-time favorite is Mountain Man Hash, which has potatoes, sausage and cheese and is a huge hit with the Boy Scouts he has led in the past.