In protest of moderate Republican and Democratic House members' refusal to consider a tuition tax credit bill, conservative lawmakers banded together to cancel an afternoon of committee hearings in the final weeks of the 2004 Legislature.

Worried the move would endanger a bill scheduled for debate in one of those meetings, Holdaway took to the House floor and began an emotional speech about serving the public. But House Speaker Marty Stephens quickly called a recess, and majority party leaders surrounded the recalcitrant Holdaway and hustled him into a backroom for a "meeting." He returned chastened.

"Part of the reason we're elected is to do the people's business," the Taylorsville Republican told fellow members. "And how we do that I guess is reflected by those things that we do up here and working within the system we have to work within."

Then Holdaway sat down.

The episode provides a glimpse of Stephens' behind-the-scenes management style on Capitol Hill. In an unprecedented three consecutive two-year terms as House speaker, Stephens herded representatives from Lewiston and Lehi, Republican and Democrat alike, into consensus on issues ranging from regulations of banks and credit unions to his own proposals opening government records and meetings to public scrutiny.

But the Farr West Republican was unable to leverage his performance as House speaker into a successful bid for governor. His campaign ended at the May 8 Republican State Convention, where he came in fifth in a field of eight candidates.

So instead of campaigning this week, Stephens will focus on his duties as president of the National Conference of State Legislatures, which starts its five-day national convention today in Salt Lake City. It probably will be his last major public role in politics, at least for a while. He will clean out his office at the Utah Capitol at the end of the year.

Stephens clearly is uncomfortable talking about his status as a lame duck.

"I had the chance to be involved in a number of important issues for our state. But I'm not in a position that I want to reflect on those until my term in service is more complete," he says. "I'd rather have this conversation in December. There's plenty to do still. I'll let others analyze my term."

Few say Stephens will fade from public life.

"I don't think you walk away from 16 years in politics overnight," says Kamas Republican Rep. David Ure, who, along with House Majority Leader Greg Curtis, is a candidate for Stephens' job as speaker.

The son of a Hill Air Force Base civilian technician, the 50-year-old Stephens grew up in Ogden. He graduated from Weber State University with a degree in business administration and spent much of his career working as an insurance executive. He quit his job at Zions Bank to run for governor. After the party convention, one of his opponents in the race, Merit Medical founder Fred Lampropoulos, hired Stephens to manage the company's mergers and acquisitions.

First elected to the state House of Representatives in 1988 after a stint as a Farr West City Council member and mayor, Stephens is part of an old guard of longtime state lawmakers. A conservative, he worked his way up through leadership ranks, eventually stepping in when a conflict-of-interest scandal engulfed former House Speaker Mel Brown.

Four years ago, Stephens flirted with the idea of challenging incumbent Gov. Mike Leavitt. He didn't, and a virtual unknown, Glen Davis, forced Leavitt into a primary.

"He should have run in 2000," says Democratic Party Chairman Donald Dunn. "He missed his opportunity."

Since then, Stephens has managed the House tightly, but quietly.

Those who crossed him often were punished. But even those disciplined by the speaker acknowledge that a smooth efficiency in House operations may be his ultimate mark on state government.

"He ran a very tight ship," says Salt Lake City Democratic Rep. Ralph Becker, who as minority leader often faced off with Stephens. "He was an efficient manager."

In 1998, Stephens inherited a House more fractured than those of predecessors Norm Bangerter, Nolan Karras and Brown, according to Utah Republican Party Chairman Joe Cannon. Complicated issues such as tuition tax credits and asset forfeiture splintered Republican lawmakers. Prior economic growth gave way to a downturn, shrinking state revenues and legislative sessions devoted to cutting services.

"What Marty has had to deal with as speaker is much more complex than the historic speakers - more complex politically and more complex issues," Cannon says. "The political dynamic was very different. In some ways, it's harder."

Naturally reserved, Stephens often let his deputies, Curtis and Majority Whip Jeff Alexander, twist the arms of Democrats and moderate Republicans to forge consensus.

Becker, like many Democrats in the GOP-dominated chamber, was routinely denied in his requests to speak to the House during debate. And when he sought earlier this year to bring legislation banning gifts to lawmakers to the floor, Stephens cut him off.

"He expected the members of the House, and particularly of his own party, to act and perform in a certain way," Becker says. "He wanted everybody to agree with him and do things his way. And if you didn't, he tried to make whoever he disagreed with pay the price for that in any way he could."

Curtis paints a softer, more intellectual picture of Stephens, calling him a "bookworm," a policy wonk who reads a lot and knows House rules in detail.

"He's very steady. He does not get flustered under stressful situations," Curtis says. "He has a great knowledge of the rules, of the process."

Stephens often used those rules to block moderate or liberal lawmakers' bills or slip measures he favored onto the floor calendar. While supporters insist the speaker's decisions remained true to his principles, critics contend he tried to play some issues with a view to strengthening his bid for governor.

Some observers contend that Stephens "softened up" prior to the 2004 race by allowing more bills through and more debate. And in one instance, Stephens allowed an asset forfeitures bill to come to the House floor, only to vote against it in order to, some say, appease conservative state convention delegates.

With his gubernatorial hopes dashed, speculation is rampant about Stephens' political future. Stephens says he has no regrets - about the race four years ago or the 2004 contest. He says he hasn't given "a lot of thought" to his political future.

"I'm very comfortable with the way things ended," he says. "They don't always turn out the way you want. But I don't have bittersweet feelings or anything."

walsh@sltrib.com