Baugh announced Tuesday that he will run as a Democrat in House District 58 against the first-term Orem Republican.

Baugh said Sandstrom and the GOP-dominated Legislature's decision to support vouchers was proof lawmakers were not representing Utah residents.

"When the Legislature put vouchers in place, two-thirds of the people voted against it," Baugh said. "In Utah County, 53 percent of the voters were against vouchers and only 47 percent were in favor," yet the Utah County delegation voted for them.

Sandstrom insisted he did reflect his constituents' desire on the question.

"Vouchers passed my legislative district," Sandstrom said. "To say I am not responding to the people is wrong."

A Tribune analysis in November found Sandstrom's district was one of the rare ones where a majority of voters backed vouchers.

But during his last campaign, Sandstrom was an avowed voucher opponent who received $4,700 from the Utah Education Association, which also mobilized union volunteers to go door-to-door on his behalf.

Sandstrom, though, said he didn't flip-flop on the issue. He said he wouldn't vote against vouchers if it were proven that public education would not be harmed by them. The voucher bill had a provision to offset any losses to school districts for five years.

Sandstrom said vouchers were needed to educate Utah's rapidly growing school population without raising taxes dramatically. He noted that he was also able to secure $28 million in funding for elementary school reading programs.

Baugh said public education needs help, but vouchers are not the answer.

dmeyers@sltrib.com