Jim Matheson retiring

[RedSLC]

If Former Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon (a popular centrist) gave UT-04 a run, he could potentially lose to Mia Love with dignity (get a vote percentage of high 40s), but no one else could even come close.

I'm not sure he even lives in the district, but then again, I'm not really sure Matheson lives in the district, either.

[Maxwell]

If Former Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon (a popular centrist) gave UT-04 a run, he could potentially lose to Mia Love with dignity (get a vote percentage of high 40s), but no one else could even come close.

Didn't he lose for Governor by 33 points?

[RedSLC]

If Former Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon (a popular centrist) gave UT-04 a run, he could potentially lose to Mia Love with dignity (get a vote percentage of high 40s), but no one else could even come close.

Didn't he lose for Governor by 33 points?

Yeah, but then again, Zioneer didn't exactly say he would win.

And granted, that was in 2010, when turnout favored republicans slightly more. Not that I think it would help him.

[Zioneer]

If Former Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon (a popular centrist) gave UT-04 a run, he could potentially lose to Mia Love with dignity (get a vote percentage of high 40s), but no one else could even come close.

Didn't he lose for Governor by 33 points?

In 2010, and in a statewide election, but yeah. He had good favorables and skated to re-election in the County (which compromises almost half of Matheson's district) easily, though. And I didn't say he would win, just that considering his popularity in Salt Lake, he could make it a decent race.

If Former Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon (a popular centrist) gave UT-04 a run, he could potentially lose to Mia Love with dignity (get a vote percentage of high 40s), but no one else could even come close.

I'm not sure he even lives in the district, but then again, I'm not really sure Matheson lives in the district, either.

You don't need to in Utah.

And as a side note, Huntsman is selling his house in DC and might be coming back to Utah....

[RogueBeaver]

Matheson apparently said "Yes sir" when specifically asked whether he's considering Guv/Senate '16.

[RedSLC]

If Former Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon (a popular centrist) gave UT-04 a run, he could potentially lose to Mia Love with dignity (get a vote percentage of high 40s), but no one else could even come close.

Didn't he lose for Governor by 33 points?

In 2010, and in a statewide election, but yeah. He had good favorables and skated to re-election in the County (which compromises almost half of Matheson's district) easily, though. And I didn't say he would win, just that considering his popularity in Salt Lake, he could make it a decent race.

Half? It makes up 85 percent of the district's population.

Anyway, Corroon lost Salt Lake County by "only" six points in 2010, so I think he would do better than most other recruits (although he would still likely lose).

[publicunofficial]

Matheson apparently said "Yes sir" when specifically asked whether he's considering Guv/Senate '16.

Dude wants to run for one of those offices, and didn't want to waste money and possibly get nothing for it in 2014.

[ElectionsGuy]

Matheson apparently said "Yes sir" when specifically asked whether he's considering Guv/Senate '16.

His best chance is against Lee in '16. But I don't think he's winning any statewide race. Honestly I think he was better off just running again in his district once more in 2014.

[Morning in Atlas]

Matheson apparently said "Yes sir" when specifically asked whether he's considering Guv/Senate '16.

His best chance is against Lee in '16. But I don't think he's winning any statewide race. Honestly I think he was better off just running again in his district once more in 2014.

What about the statewide race in '18?

Anyways, Likely R with Corroon, Safe R with anyone else.

[Keystone Phil]

This pickup is "ALL BECAUSE OF A WEBSITE?!?!"

[ElectionsGuy]

Matheson apparently said "Yes sir" when specifically asked whether he's considering Guv/Senate '16.

His best chance is against Lee in '16. But I don't think he's winning any statewide race. Honestly I think he was better off just running again in his district once more in 2014.

What about the statewide race in '18?

Anyways, Likely R with Corroon, Safe R with anyone else.

I believe that's an open seat (Hatch retiring)? If so, he could go for that as well. But supposedly Lee is not too popular, even for Utah.

[Miles]

Matheson apparently said "Yes sir" when specifically asked whether he's considering Guv/Senate '16.

His best chance is against Lee in '16. But I don't think he's winning any statewide race. Honestly I think he was better off just running again in his district once more in 2014.

Why is the Senate race better for him? The Gov race would be open and he'd be running in a non-federal race.

[LeBron]

Matheson apparently said "Yes sir" when specifically asked whether he's considering Guv/Senate '16.

His best chance is against Lee in '16. But I don't think he's winning any statewide race. Honestly I think he was better off just running again in his district once more in 2014.

What about the statewide race in '18?

Anyways, Likely R with Corroon, Safe R with anyone else.

I believe that's an open seat (Hatch retiring)? If so, he could go for that as well. But supposedly Lee is not too popular, even for Utah.

Plus for all we know, Lee might decide to turn down running for re-election just so he can go for the Presidency or maybe become the VP candidate for Cruz or Paul. But I wouldn't suggest he runs for Governor. Utah used to have term-limits, but now with that law overturned, Herbert might decide to run again which would leave the race not winnable for Matheson. In my opinion, he's best off trying for Lee's seat whether he steps down or not. The problem with Hatch's open seat in 2018 is that it's a midterm in Utah. Matheson would need a Presidential year for turnout from SLC and especially his district to stand a chance.

In regards to this House seat, Matheson just proved that he's a traitor to Democrats. His moderate voting records I can accept despite large political differences, but blowing off the Democrats and giving Republicans a pickup here is uncalled for. He left us high and dry and unless Scott Matheson runs which I highly, highly doubt, Utah will officially have all Repub. Congressmen/Congresswomen.

[ElectionsGuy]

Matheson apparently said "Yes sir" when specifically asked whether he's considering Guv/Senate '16.

His best chance is against Lee in '16. But I don't think he's winning any statewide race. Honestly I think he was better off just running again in his district once more in 2014.

What about the statewide race in '18?

Anyways, Likely R with Corroon, Safe R with anyone else.

I believe that's an open seat (Hatch retiring)? If so, he could go for that as well. But supposedly Lee is not too popular, even for Utah.

Plus for all we know, Lee might decide to turn down running for re-election just so he can go for the Presidency or maybe become the VP candidate for Cruz or Paul. But I wouldn't suggest he runs for Governor. Utah used to have term-limits, but now with that law overturned, Herbert might decide to run again which would leave the race not winnable for Matheson. In my opinion, he's best off trying for Lee's seat whether he steps down or not. The problem with Hatch's open seat in 2018 is that it's a midterm in Utah. Matheson would need a Presidential year for turnout from SLC and especially his district to stand a chance.

In regards to this House seat, Matheson just proved that he's a traitor to Democrats. His moderate voting records I can accept despite large political differences, but blowing off the Democrats and giving Republicans a pickup here is uncalled for. He left us high and dry and unless Scott Matheson runs which I highly, highly doubt, Utah will officially have all Repub. Congressmen/Congresswomen.

I don't know about the governor's race yet. I'll have to look into that. But running for either Senate race would be very difficult. I think now, a democrat would have to get ~65% of the vote in Salt Lake County in order to have a chance. Does anybody see how that lines up?

And yes, Matheson is a traitor to the democrats. But honestly I'm very glad he did this. It really bothered me that a the most Romney state last year by far (73%) had a democrat in its congressional delegation. When a state like Kansas (60%) had all republicans. Utah really deserves to have all republicans, just like Massachusetts deserves to have all democrats.

[BradyNH]

Glory bloody hallelujah. We can make up for his number with Latham's district.

[LeBron]

Matheson apparently said "Yes sir" when specifically asked whether he's considering Guv/Senate '16.

His best chance is against Lee in '16. But I don't think he's winning any statewide race. Honestly I think he was better off just running again in his district once more in 2014.

What about the statewide race in '18?

Anyways, Likely R with Corroon, Safe R with anyone else.

I believe that's an open seat (Hatch retiring)? If so, he could go for that as well. But supposedly Lee is not too popular, even for Utah.

Plus for all we know, Lee might decide to turn down running for re-election just so he can go for the Presidency or maybe become the VP candidate for Cruz or Paul. But I wouldn't suggest he runs for Governor. Utah used to have term-limits, but now with that law overturned, Herbert might decide to run again which would leave the race not winnable for Matheson. In my opinion, he's best off trying for Lee's seat whether he steps down or not. The problem with Hatch's open seat in 2018 is that it's a midterm in Utah. Matheson would need a Presidential year for turnout from SLC and especially his district to stand a chance.

In regards to this House seat, Matheson just proved that he's a traitor to Democrats. His moderate voting records I can accept despite large political differences, but blowing off the Democrats and giving Republicans a pickup here is uncalled for. He left us high and dry and unless Scott Matheson runs which I highly, highly doubt, Utah will officially have all Repub. Congressmen/Congresswomen.

I don't know about the governor's race yet. I'll have to look into that. But running for either Senate race would be very difficult. I think now, a democrat would have to get ~65% of the vote in Salt Lake County in order to have a chance. Does anybody see how that lines up?

And yes, Matheson is a traitor to the democrats. But honestly I'm very glad he did this. It really bothered me that a the most Romney state last year by far (73%) had a democrat in its congressional delegation. When a state like Kansas (60%) had all republicans. Utah really deserves to have all republicans, just like Massachusetts deserves to have all democrats.

ValleyMan and Zioneer will have something to say about that comment lol.

The interesting thing to note about Matheson is, although he never ran against Hatch last year, polling showed it would have been very competitive against a veteran, non-Tea Party Republican Senator. I bet Matheson could do much better in SLC County than Howell did since Howell isn't even from there, and if Lee is the GOP nominee in 2016, it could actually help Matheson more than it would hurt him since Utah can't stand the guy.

Although I disagree with you there about the Massachusetts-Utah relation. Massachusetts does have all Democratic Reps., but a handful of them are pretty moderate on a number of issues while Utah's Repubs. are anything but that. It wouldn't really hurt for Utah to have at least a small difference from neighboring Idaho or Wyoming. Wyoming will probably never elect a Democrat to their district while the most recent Democratic Rep. Idaho had served one term after being elected in 2008 and then got voted out only two years later. Would it really kill them knowing inside that they voted in a Democrat that didn't have the last name Matheson?

[Zioneer]

Matheson was also polling competitively against Herbert, at the height of Herbert's popularity, by the way.

Also, Herbert won't have the GOP gubernatorial nomination to himself; it's an open secret that Utah House Speaker Becky Lockhart wants to be governor (she's actually retiring from the Utah House in 2014 in a really obvious attempt to start fundraising), and will steamroll Herbert if she has to. She's fairly popular, and can call upon a lot of potential legislator endorsements, but is further right than Herbert, so it'll be a bloodbath, which Matheson can take advantage of.

[Nichlemn]

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The idea that a state "deserves" a certain partisan representation is silly. Deserve's got nothin' to do with it. Voters in Matheson's district liked him more than the alternatives, so they voted for him. Now that he's gone, they'll almost certainly prefer whoever the Republicans nominate to whoever the Democrats nominate, so they'll get the Republican. There's no divine karmic balance in Congressional elections.

[H. Ross Peron]

What a shame. He was a good guy.

I wonder if this might induce Rocky Anderson to run...

[Morning in Atlas]

What a shame. He was a good guy.

I wonder if this might induce Rocky Anderson to run...

lol

[Zioneer]

What a shame. He was a good guy.

I wonder if this might induce Rocky Anderson to run...

Probably not, Rocky's done with the Democrats. And he especially hates conservative Dems that he feels are bad on civil liberties (Matheson voted for the Patriot Act and all that).

Incidentally, Rocky actually ran for Congress back in 1996 and got 42% of the vote (against crazy person and Congressman Merill Cook, but still).

[bgwah]

Will any other Republicans consider running for the seat, or just Love? I would be surprised if an open R+14 seat didn't draw more interest.

[Lief 🗽]

Maybe one of Mittens' many spawn will consider it?

[Zioneer]

Maybe one of Mittens' many spawn will consider it?

Josh Romney considered running against Matheson in 2008 and 2010 (he was actually approached to do it by the Utah GOP in 2008), so perhaps. He's the only one who could defeat Mia Love for the nomination.

[RogueBeaver]

Romney could also run against Lee or wait for Hatch to retire in 2018. I'd guess he'd be more interested in something statewide.