In a race that straddles the Salt Lake County/Utah County line, school voucher champion Sen. Howard Stephenson will defend his seat against fellow Republican Rep. Dave Hogue, an equally zealous supporter of public education.

"One of the most important themes in this race, and legislative races across the state, will be the question of whether parents have the right to choose how and where their children are educated and allowing the [state] dollars to follow those students," Stephenson said.

But Hogue wants those dollars - and more - in public education. "We are still one of the lowest states in the nation for per-pupil spending," said Hogue, who has served 10 years in the House.

It is one of the key election debates foreshadowed as hundreds of hopeful Utahns filed for everything from local school boards to U. S. Senate by Friday's deadline. There's even an Olympic gold medalist in the mix.

Many of the races promise nostalgia. Former U. S. Congressman Merrill Cook, former state House Speaker Mel Brown and former House Majority Leader Kevin Garn all hope to return to their former fields of glory.

And 12-year Democratic state Sen. Millie Peterson, gerrymandered out of her seat four years ago, is running once more for her old West Valley City seat, this time against Sen. Brent Goodfellow.

Brown, who is running as a Coalville resident, is up against an even better known challenger. Jim Shea, 2002 Olympic gold medalist and now a motivational speaker and Republican, says the Legislature needs "a fresh face and a fresh opinion."

"Its something I've wanted to get into for many years," Shea said. "I saw an opening and I'm going to go for it."

Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson's former spokesman Josh Ewing is trying to get into the Legislature, where his ex-boss' name is often abused. He is running against three other Democrats for Ross Romero's abandoned House seat.

Romero, meantime, is one of five Democrats running for Sen. Karen Hale's vacated Salt Lake City seat.

One candidate will try to trade on his brand outside the political arena. Former news anchorman and furniture spokesman Phil Riesen is running as a Democrat for Rep. Susan Lawrence's East Bench Salt Lake County seat.

Sutherland Institute Board member Ron Mortensen is is one of nine hopefuls running for the Bountiful seat of Rep. Ann Hardy, who says she is stepping down to spend more time with family.

Meanwhile, Orem Sen. Parley Hellewell had a change of heart and decided not to step down to spend more time at his plumbing-heating business.

"I've just had so many people ask me to run again," he said. "So, I made some changes in my business."

But that complicates life for Republican Rep. Margaret Dayton, who has abandoned her seat to run for his. Key senators John Valentine and Curt Bramble have already promised to back Dayton and have said they will not renege on their pledge.

Also running for the seat is Jeremy Friedbaum, who once forced Congressman Chris Cannon into a primary. Friedbaum says Hellewell and Dayton are "conservative moderates" who have failed to fight illegal immigration.

In southern Utah, Sen. Tom Hatch belatedly announced he is stepping down after one term - he also served in the House for 8 years. The Panguitch Republican said he needs to devote himself to being bishop of his Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ward. "Too many irons in the fire and too little time to give justice to them."

He is endorsing Iron County Commissioner Dennis Stowell for the seat.

The Sandy area Senate seat being vacated by developer Al Mansell has drawn eight candidates, among them former Democratic Rep. Trisha Beck and developer Bryson Garbett, a former Republican House member.

The conservative Constitution Party emerged as a third-party contender dozens of races, fielding more than 40 candidates.

In addition to state legislative races, all three U.S. House members are standing for re-election, as is five-term U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch.

Perennial candidate Lawrence Rey Topham wasn't sure what office he would run for when he and two friends entered the state elections office about a half hour before Friday's filing deadline.

He intended to run for Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr.'s seat, which Topham said is vacant because Huntsman, like other dozens of other state office holders have failed to file oaths of office as required by state law.

But an elections clerk politely told him the job wasn't open, suggesting, "You can file for governor in 2008."

So, Topham joined the crowd filing against Hatch.