This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Challenger Mike Weinholtz is hitting incumbent Gov. Gary Herbert in two new Democratic Party mailers, tying Herbert to a pair of figures unpopular in Utah — Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin — and appealing to Mormons to reject the trio.
The mailers — sponsored by the Utah Democratic Party with Weinholtz's OK — were sent out this week. They feature pictures of Trump and Herbert along with the Russian leader, blasting Utah's governor for supporting the GOP presidential nominee, with one of the mailers calling Herbert's endorsement "Unbelievable. Shameful. Appalling."
The other piece reads "Welcome to Utah (Unless You're Not)" and references Trump's criticism of Mexican immigrants, Muslim refugees, female Fox News anchors "and anyone else Trump doesn't agree with."
Both include a blurb from an Associated Press story that reads "Fewer Mormon missionaries in Russia due to new law," a clear appeal to Mormons who, polls show, are wary of Trump.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has said it was reducing the number of missionaries — and calling them "volunteers" — in Russia because of a recently enacted anti-terrorism law that restricts religious practices.
Kevin Coe, a professor who teaches political communication at the University of Utah, said the ads employ a guilt-by-association tactic common in politics, linking Herbert to Trump, and in this case adding the extra layer of Putin.
"It can be powerful if you can get the association to stick," Coe said. "You have a Republican presidential candidate who is more unpopular than the average Republican presidential candidate among Mormons, so you have an opportunity there that you wouldn't usually have."
Herbert's campaign manager, Marty Carpenter, said that it is "disappointing, but not surprising" that Weinholtz has decided to go negative with the ads.
"That's not the Utah way," Carpenter said. "He continues to demonstrate that he clearly does not understand the people nor the character of Utah. Governor Herbert has been, and will remain, focused on the issues that are important to the people of our state."
Utah Democratic Party Chairman Peter Corroon said the party sent the mailers as a reminder to people of Herbert's support for Trump and "if you're supporting Trump, you can see what he stands for in these cards."
"Trump is a man who has gone after religion and so is Putin," said Corroon, who dismissed the Herbert campaign's assertions that the mailers were a cheap shot. "I think the governor is trying to have it both ways, in some sense. He's saying he's not a Trump supporter, yet he's saying he's going to come out and vote for him."
The Weinholtz campaign said it had approved the content of the ads to draw attention to Herbert's endorsement.
"It's not the 'low road' to point out the fact that Governor Herbert has endorsed someone as offensive to Utahns and our values as Donald Trump," Weinholtz said in a statement. "Instead of doing the right thing and denouncing Trump like so many other Republican leaders nationwide, Governor Herbert caved and took, ironically, the actual low road by endorsing him."
Herbert had refrained from giving a direct endorsement of Trump, saying that he supports Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as Trump's vice president and that he would vote for the ticket.
Herbert gave his most ardent endorsement of the Trump ticket earlier this week, during a debate between Herbert and Weinholtz, warning that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton would add more than a trillion dollars to the debt, appoint liberal justices to the Supreme Court, and is dishonest.
"Most Democrats, the majority [in Utah] don't believe she's trustworthy," Herbert said. "It's one thing to have outlandish behavior. It's another thing to be dishonest, bordering on criminal activity."
Weinholtz said Clinton is more qualified than Trump and noted Clinton has not called for a ban on Muslims entering the country.
"The Democratic candidate has not called women pigs and other names. The Democratic candidate has not called Mexicans rapists and murderers," Weinholtz said. "Donald Trump is eminently unqualified to lead this country."
Coe said he doesn't believe that the Democratic mailers will end up being very effective.
"It's very likely that the average Utahn sees quite a difference between Governor Herbert and Donald Trump," Coe said. "So even if you get them thinking that it isn't ideal that the governor endorsed Trump, it won't be enough to change their opinion dramatically."
Weinholtz trails Herbert badly in recent polls.
Absentee and mail-in ballots will be sent to voters by Oct. 18; early voting is scheduled to begin Oct. 25; and the general election is slated for Nov. 8.
Twitter: @RobertGehrke