Christensen, a Republican councilman, filed to run against Fife, who has served in the Legislature since 1999.

Democrat Kenneth Peay, a former Utah Highway Patrol commander with 31 years in law enforcement, will challenge Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Eagle Mountain in Senate District 13.

Republican Jonathan FidÂler and Constitution Party candidate James Peverelle declared their candidacy against Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City, who was selected to replace her late husband, longtime Sen. Ed Mayne, after he died from lung cancer.

Republican challengers Ronda Rose, Alan Lundgren and Dan Liljenquist have filed to run for the seats now held by Sens. Mike Waddoups, Allen Christensen and Dan Eastman, respectively. Waddoups is the only incumbent of the three who has filed for re-election, so far.

Rep. Janice Fisher, D-West Valley City, is being challenged by Phil Conder, a member of the West Valley Planning Commission, and Republican Christopher Williams and Democrat Marcie West filed to run against Rep. Curtis Oda, R-Clearfield.

More than 100 candidates have filed to run for state legislative seats with a week left remaining before Monday's filing deadline.

- Robert Gehrke

The candidate-filing period opened Friday, and Democrat Jim Matheson - who represents Utah's sprawling 2nd Congressional District in Washington, D.C. - has already attracted three Republican challengers.

Sandy resident Bill Dew, 56, formally announced his candidacy during a news conference on Monday in Salt Lake City's newly refurbished Capitol.

Dew hopes to unseat the well-liked Matheson, who seeks a fifth term. The high-profile race, considered a long shot for a Republican win, will be Dew's first run for public office.

Republican Merrill Cook, who represented the 2nd District from 1997-2000 and got the boot in the Republican primary, announced earlier this month he aims to regain the slot.

Sandy Republican Kenneth Gray also joined the race Monday.

According to his Web site, www.therockthatburns. com, Gray has has been an advocate of U.S. energy independence since 1975.

"While others make excuses for why it cannot be accomplished, he has consistently provided realistic answers in three published books, over fifty newspaper columns and radio and TV interviews," says Gray's online announcement.

Dew, who worked 30 years in the housing construction industry, said he decided last April to join the political fray out of concern for the country's fiscal health.

"Because of the national debt and the budget deficit, my children will not have the same economic opportunities I've had," Dew said.

In the 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts, each Republican incumbent already faces a same-party challenge.

Morgan Republican Alan Hansen has filed to run against three-term incumbent Rob Bishop in the 1st District, while Alpine Republican Jason Chaffetz, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s former chief of staff, intends to unseat Chris Cannon who seeks his seventh term.

cmckitrick@sltrib.com