The Sandy Republican vacuumed it in, ending the year with more than $300,000 at his disposal.

That kind of money is enough to start people speculating about aspirations for higher office, but Curtis says he plans to stay put in the House and to seek re-election as speaker. He knows that will take a lot of work and a healthy campaign account.

He won his last election by only 20 votes, and his outspoken support of vouchers - which were decisively rejected in November's statewide referendum - could erode his popularity further.

A Tribune analysis in November found voters in Curtis' district defeated vouchers by a convincing 62 percent to 38 percent.

"There's no question that constituents aren't going to be happy with the position he's taken," said Todd Taylor, executive director of the state Democratic Party. "He may want to bank on the fact people won't remember past actions, but I wouldn't bank on that too heavily."

But Curtis is convinced vouchers won't play a role in November's elections.

"I don't think the vouchers will be an issue. Voters are not generally punitive, and the issue is over with," said Curtis, who in the past has courted controversy with his push for a Sandy soccer stadium.

Senate President John Valentine shares Curtis' sentiment, but also has stockpiled more than $130,000 for his upcoming election. He, too, plans to run for re-election as president if he wins his seat.

"I really think that [voters] are going to be looking at individual candidates," Valentine said. "But one issue is not going to make the total decision."

Both Valentine and Curtis will use some of their funds to help out fellow Republicans in their legislative races.

"It's a lot easier for me to raise money than for my colleagues, and it gives me money to run for a different office in the future," he said. Valentine, who for years has been rumored to have interest in the Governor's Office, would only say the "stars would have to line up properly" for a run at another office. He wouldn't specify which office.

Taylor believes the fact that GOP candidates are banking so much money shows "they clearly feel vulnerable," but it doesn't make them invincible.

"All we have to do is look at Mitt Romney's spending to know that elections happen," Taylor said, referring to the ex-Massachusetts governor's defeat in Iowa after outspending his main Republican rival, Mike Huckabee, 15-to-1.

smcfarland@sltrib.com