Some Utah Republicans who harbor hopes of taking a congressional seat that a Democrat has held for a decade are raising the possibility of crossing over to vote for the candidate they perceive as the weakest in the Democrats' open primary.

State Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, became a topic on KSL Radio's Doug Wright Show on Tuesday after he posted a Facebook suggestion that Republicans vote for Claudia Wright over five-term Congressman Jim Matheson in the June 22 Democratic primary. While Utah Republicans reserve the primary vote to registered party members, Democrats have an open primary that enables independent voters -- with no declared party affiliation -- to vote.

Wimmer, who later disavowed the effort and apologized, started a long online discussion when he raised the idea on the social-networking site. He dubbed it "Operation Chaos" after a 2008 Rush Limbaugh radio campaign to mess with Barack Obama's mounting primary and caucus wins over Hillary Clinton.

"OK, Time for operation chaos Utah style," Wimmer wrote. "Utah Democrats have an open primary election, so EVERY Republican in the Utah 2nd Congressional District needs to go and vote for Claudia Wright against Matheson. She is very liberal, and would give [Republican] Morgan Philpot an almost certain victory in that district."

University of Utah political scientist Matthew Burbank said it's a fanciful idea for party insiders and delegates but never translates into results with rank-and-file voters.

"My immediate thought was, 'Oh sure, that's gonna happen,'" Burbank said doubtfully. "That's been an idea that's been around pretty much as long as open primaries have been, and I don't think anyone's ever shown that it's had any effect."

Philpot said he rejects the strategy.

"I think Democrats have a right to their own primary," he said, "and I think we ought to leave them that right."

He said he agrees with the perception that Wright would be easier to beat, but he doesn't expect many Republicans to skip their own primary when they have a contested U.S. Senate race.

Wright said she believes she has enough interests in common with moderate Republicans and "tea party" activists -- starting with opposition to bank bailouts -- to win the district.

"I'm sure Mr. Philpot would rather run against me than Mr. Matheson because Mr. Matheson has a lot more money," Wright said.

Matheson brushed off the possibility that Republicans could hijack the primary.

"There is always talk about this, but I think, at the end of the day, it rarely happens," he told The Tribune . "Most voters don't buy into those games."

The incumbent, who is facing his first runoff election, said he sees no reason to close the Democratic primary to party loyalists.

"I'm proud that the Democratic Party is the open-tent party, and everybody gets to vote," he said.

Wimmer said in a Tribune interview he meant his comment as a "parody" riffing on the Limbaugh strategy.

"It was an error in judgment," Wimmer said. "I did not think it would have the effect that it did. ... It's something that I do not condone and something that I wish I had not posted."

Another Utah Republican activist, Chase Everton, also made an online pitch for voting in the Democratic primary. "Not only will the power of the incumbency be eliminated if Ms. Wright wins," he wrote on his blog, "but it will also put on display for the voters of Utah the basic differences between the Republican and Democratic parties."

Efforts to reach Everton for comment were unsuccessful. Philpot said he met him during the last legislative session and considers him "a nice young man," but said his Philpot campaign did not encourage Everton.

Democratic State Chairman Wayne Holland said the party will watch for "trickery" but, "I expect Republicans will stay home [in their own party]."

Matt Canham contributed to this report.