This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a favorite son of Utahns and potential 2008 presidential contender, flew into the Beehive State for a quick fundraiser last week . It drew a crowd at the Utah County home of Kraig Higginson, CEO of Raser Technologies, where donors pulled out their checkbooks and reportedly gave hundreds of thousands of dollars.
That's on top of the estimated $1 million Romney raised in the state earlier this year.
While we doubt he was there for last week's event, former Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers star Karl Malone is apparently a Romney fan. Either that or he wants a Cabinet post. Malone gave the governor's political action committee, the Commonwealth PAC, $5,000 in March.
No Democrats allowed: Speaking of fundraisers, Utah's Republican delegation got behind Rep. Chris Cannon last week, throwing a $1,000-per person soirée to help boost Cannon in his primary battle with millionaire businessman John Jacob.
The event, which we're told raised about $115,000, was held at The Monocle, about two blocks from the Capitol, and hosted by Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett and Rep. Rob Bishop.
Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson wasn't invited.
Don't like it? Shove off: Chris Cannon doesn't trust activist judges any more than he does smut peddlers.
The Utah congressman introduced a bill Tuesday that would strip federal judges of the power to overrule state anti-porn laws. That includes the U.S. Supreme Court.
Cannon says it's high time that state legislatures, not courts, get to decide what is obscene.
Disagree? Tough.
Says Cannon: "If there are those who believe a state's anti-pornography laws are too strict, they can find another state in which to live."
Unexcused absence: Late night comic Conan O'Brien gets to the bottom of why Congress has once again failed to pass the gay marriage ban:
"Big news this week. The Senate is considering a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.
"That's right. The amendment is expected to fall a few votes short because senators Orrin Hatch and Trent Lott are antiquing in Vermont."
Romney's challenge on the right: A new "national thermometer" of potential presidential wannabes and political leaders shows an Evangelical chill toward Romney.
The governor ranks in the middle of a crowded field overall, but weak support among Evangelical Christians. The results highlight a possible concern should the Mormon candidate have to win over Southern Republicans in a bid for the GOP nomination.
The Quinnipiac University study shows Romney with a 47.5 percent approval rating overall. Among Republicans, he scores a 54.7 percent approval.
But among Evangelicals, his approval rating was 47.3 percent, behind all eight of the other Republicans in the poll and just barely ahead of Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana. His numbers were slightly weaker among Catholics.
Gehrke and Burr report from Washington for The Tribune. Read more political tidbits at the Tribune's Out of Context blog: http://blogs.sltrib.com/utahpolitics.