Former Congressman Merrill Cook confirmed Tuesday he will challenge five-term incumbent Chris Cannon in the Republican State Convention this year.

Cook has the support of groups committed to a tougher stance against illegal immigration. Those groups have long had Cannon in their sights because of their belief he is too soft on the issue.

But Cook says that's only one of the reasons he is running against Cannon.

He opposes Cannon's support of free trade agreements and normal trade relations for China, which he says have contributed to crippling U.S. trade deficits and weakened American security. He says he is concerned about the increasing deficit and he opposes the No Child Left Behind and prescription-drug legislation that Cannon supported.

"I have always been an independent-minded Republican who puts principle above party," Cook said. "I have a special affinity for the conservative, independent-minded, constitutionally oriented Republicans of the 3rd Congressional District."

Cook does not live in the 3rd District, but he owns a business in Utah County and says he and his wife, Camille, are looking for a home to buy in South Jordan, which is in the district.

Cook served two terms in Congress and at times had an acrimonious relationship with Cannon. Cannon supported Derek Smith, who defeated Cook for the Republican nomination in 2000.

This will be Cook's 12th run for public office over the past 21 years.

Here's a memo: To the driver of a truck hauling 100-pound bags of cement in the Avenues area of Salt Lake City:

When you dropped nine of the bags in the middle of C Street near South Temple at about 8 a.m. March 7, it would have been better had you stopped and picked up the bags right away instead of coming back two hours later to retrieve them.

Area resident Richard Anderson and two LDS Business College students carried the bags to the east-side sidewalk to get them out of the way of traffic, but not before a car hit one bag, breaking it open and spreading the cement all over the street.

An Andy Rooney wannabe: A Murray High School senior who is involved in "Spartan Vision," the student-produced, in-school television production, received a lesson in political correctness for reporters recently.

The student, named Mike, performed a live rap routine on the in-school TV recently. When he finished, he said: "That's the worst rap I've ever done. But then, I'm not black."

That earned him a two-week suspension from the television crew, imposed by the Spartan Vision adviser.

A group of his supporters then gathered hundreds of student names on a petition to bring him back. A "Free Mike" rally was held.

All 12 African-American students who were approached signed the petition to cancel Mike's suspension.

---

Paul Rolly welcomes e-mail at prolly@sltrib.com.