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Softer side of Mitt. Hatch leads Liljenquist in every poll. Matheson ahead of Love.
Happy Monday. Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is trying to show the softer side of Mitt: His sons headed on Conan O'Brien's show last week; cameras were allowed to film the former Massachusetts governor and wife, Ann, strolling along the beach, eating ice cream; and then there was the Father's Day tribute. It's all an effort to humanize Romney and grab voters who want to see their candidate as one of them. [TheHill] More on Romney and his big Utah gathering this weekend below.
Topping the news: Dozens of homes have burned in Sanpete County as a wildfire continues to rip through more than 39,000 acres. It's the fourth wildfire in the state in a week. [Trib] [DNews] Nothing draws out politicians like natural disasters, writes a Daily Herald contributor. [Herald]
-> DNews poll shows Hatch with a big lead over challenger Dan Liljenquist for Tuesday's primary. [DNews]
-> BYU's Study for the Study of Elections and Democracy runs the numbers on three different scenarios for tomorrow and shows Hatch winning them all. [Trib] [UtahDataPoints]
-> A DNews poll also shows Rep. Jim Matheson beating Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love by a wide margin. [DNews]
Today's News: Romney winning Utah is a no-brainer, but the other GOP races will still make for an interesting Tuesday primary. [Trib]
-> Paul Rolly says an increase of mail-in ballots will actually hurt voter turnout as many of the ballots were sent to citizens too late. [Trib]
-> The Utah Federation of Republican Women is bouncing back after nearly closing up shop. [UtahPolicy]
-> Hatch's efforts against Microsoft in the early 2000s has prompted the tech company to pour money into Washington lobbyists and political campaigns. [Examiner]
Tweet of the day: From @DeidreHenderson: "Speaker @BeckyLockhart accidentally dropped her golf ball in the toilet at the UTC golf tournament. Does that count as a hole-in-one?"
Happy birthday: To Mike Gehrke and USU's Ted Pease
Opinion section: Pat Bagley's gives his take on how Utah wildfires are started. [Trib]
-> And Bagley chimes in on Sen. Mike Lee's comments last week about Mormons exceptional ability to talk about American exceptionalism. [Trib]
-> A Utah physician warns about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, charging that it would give foreign corporations unprecedented rights within U.S. borders. [Trib]
-> A Utah doctor describes the tragedy of motorcycle accidents without helmets and how such accidents affect taxpayers. Such facts, he says, justifies a mandatory helmet law. [Trib]
-> Rolly asks if the timing of the liquor license session was just a little convenient and politically motivated. [Trib]
-> A Millcreek resident says turning the township into a city gives his neighbors more self-governance and contrary to popular belief, taxes won't rise because of the area's thriving sales tax and property tax revenues. [Trib]
-> A venture capitalist says Romney's similar "expertise" is all about making profit. Not a very good qualifier for leading a nation. [Trib]
-> A retired businessman says voters shouldn't let emotion triumph over their common sense. [Trib]
-> A U. professors says religious writings such as the Ten Commandments in public buildings should be looked upon for their historical nature and not religious promotions. [Trib]
-> LaVarr Webb and Frank Pignanelli offer their suggestions for Tuesday's primary outcomes. [DNews]
-> Former Sen. Bob Bennett says economic growth starts with free enterprise and the middle class. [DNews]
Weekend in review: CNN's Jessica Ravitz takes a look at the fascinating friendship of SUU President Michael Benson, a Mormon, and NJ Mayor Cory Booker and a New York rabbi. [CNN]
-> While in Utah with Romney, potential vice presidential candidate and conservative superstar, Rep. Paul Ryan, campaigns for Mia Love. [Trib] [UtahPolicy]
-> The GOP primary for Attorney General has been the most expensive and vicious that anyone can recall. And now a lawsuit is in the mix. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Just as allegations against Mike Winder were dropped, so are those against Mark Crockett. The Republican Salt Lake County mayoral primary will continue without legal action. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Winder and Crockett are in a statistical tie heading into tomorrow's primary, though both are currently leading state Sen. Ben McAdams. [DNews]
-> The race for state auditor, between longtime incumbent Auston Johnson and state Rep. John Dougall, is too close to call. [DNews]
-> The Constitution Party has a primary battle on Tuesday's ballot as well. [DNews]
-> It's clear that Senate Republicans do not want to see their friend Sen. Orrin Hatch go, so they've pitched in $370,000 for the campaign. [Trib]
-> Hotline looks at the Top Five reasons Hatch will survive the intraparty challenge. [NJ]
-> Hatch says Rick Santorum endorsed Liljenquist is because of Santorum's "sugar daddy," Foster Friess. [TheHill]
-> NPR says Hatch faces the "youth movement" in his primary race. [NPR]
2012 Watch: GOP big-whigs, top donors and Mitt Romney's top aides gathered in Deer Valley this weekend for a strategy retreat. Included in the mix: A long list of potential running mates. [NYTimes] [LATimes] [WSJ] [BusinessWeek] [DNews]
-> Security was tight, reporters were scrambling and speculation rampant in the quiet mountain town. [Trib]
-> Romney's biggest challenge soon will be wooing wary Republican voters to turn out. [NPR]
-> Some experts say President Barack Obama and his top lawyers flubbed the health care law's best chance to survive the Supreme Court. [WaPost]
-> An army of Obama campaign workers set out this past weekend to gin up support at gay pride parades across America. [NYTimes]
-> The Obama administration has already had a tough year at the high court and the decisions on health care and immigration could add to that. [WaPost]
-> The Washington Post's ombudsman defends his newspaper against complaints by the Romney camp. [WaPost]
-> Mike Leavitt tells The Trib he plans to spend quite a bit of time at the U.S. Capitol as he preps for a Romney presidency. [Trib]
Where are they?
Lt. Gov. Greg Bell attends the Governor's Rural Partnership Board meeting then heads to the Coalition of Religious Communities.
SL Co. Mayor Peter Corroon holds a Cabinet Meeting then tours the new Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital.
SLC Mayor Ralph Becker meets with S.O.A.R. II Students, heads to a Mountain Transportation Meeting. The mayor later hits the final pour of the Airport TRAX line, meets with the U.'s Department of Management Chair Bill Schulze, then attends the Gina Bachauer Opening Gala.
WVC Mayor Mike Winder campaigns in South Jordan, Sandy and downtown.
President Barack Obama heads to campaign events in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to you inbox. [Trib]
— Thomas Burr and Andreas RiveraTwitter.com/thomaswburr and Twitter.com/andreascrivera