The New Mexico governor, who is considered a second-tier candidate Ð "I'm third or fourth," he said - is the second of four candidates expected to visit Utah over several weeks.

He was preceded last month by former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd will speak to the state Democratic convention today. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama will attend a fundraiser in Park City in August.

"I am here because Utah is important," Richards told a gathering of Democrats at This Is the Place State Park. "Utah is going to be part of a small group of states that is going to elect the next president of the United States."

Utah has joined with New Mexico and Arizona to hold the Western States Primary on Feb. 5.

Earlier Friday, Anderson and Corroon, mayors of Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County, held a news conference to endorse Richardson.

Richardson's experience as a congressman, United Nations ambassador and Energy secretary under President Clinton gives him the experience needed to deal with the nation's problems, Corroon said. "These are serious times that need serious leadership."

"He is a man who believes in diplomacy," Anderson said. "We wouldn't be in the midst of this debacle in Iraq if we had President Bill Richardson."

Former Utah Rep. Bill Orton agreed that Richardson's knack for diplomacy, which included negotiating hostage releases in North Korea, Sudan and Iraq, is needed. "Our country is in desperate need of someone to take us forward and improve our status worldwide."

Richardson responded to news that leading candidates New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Edwards had been caught on microphone discussing how to eliminate other Democrats, including Richardson and Dodd, who are trailing in the polls and, Clinton said, "are not serious."

"The American people should decide this election on the basis of debates where everybody is talking about the issues - unfiltered by large-money politics and filtered by consultants and advisers," Richardson said. "This race has seven months to go. It's going to be won on the basis of who has the most foreign policy experience and the most executive experience."

Surrounded in the heritage park by historical re-enactors, Richardson joked: "I had a very good meeting with Andrew Jackson and Thomas Jefferson. We had a great dialogue on the need for leadership. And they both agreed it was my turn to be president."