Let's Hear it for Enid?
A petition drive has begun among the Utah Republican faithful to draft Enid Greene to run for party chairman next summer. Greene currently is the acting state chairman, filling in for Joe Cannon, who resigned just after the election with about nine months left on his term. She has said she wants to fill the rest of Cannon's term and finish "the good job he has done" over the past five years. But she also said she probably wasn't interested in running for chair for the next two-year term.
The petition drive was begun by members of the Republican State Central Committee and is being distributed among state delegates. Greene, who had not heard of the petition drive, says she is flattered by the movement but still is "leaning against" running for her own two-year term. As acting chair, she says, she has more pressing issues like retiring the party debt and preparing for another election if Utah gets a fourth congressional district.
If the draft movement gains much momentum among the delegates, however, it could spawn an interesting dilemma for the party. Usually, the major Republican office-holder who is next up for re-election is given consideration for who he or she wants to see in the chairmanship role. Based on statements made by Mike Mower, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s deputy chief of staff, the governor's choice looks like Tim Bridgewater, who twice lost primary elections to John Swallow for the GOP nomination for congress.
Also, Greene took a leave of absence as vice chair two years ago to be the lieutenant governor running mate of gubernatorial candidate Nolan Karras, who was Huntsman's opponent in the Republican primary in 2004.
That might not sit well with Huntsman, but Greene remains popular with the party's delegates. She was given much of the credit for helping Karras survive the convention and make it to the primary against Huntsman.
Cheers,
Paul Rolly
The petition drive was begun by members of the Republican State Central Committee and is being distributed among state delegates. Greene, who had not heard of the petition drive, says she is flattered by the movement but still is "leaning against" running for her own two-year term. As acting chair, she says, she has more pressing issues like retiring the party debt and preparing for another election if Utah gets a fourth congressional district.
If the draft movement gains much momentum among the delegates, however, it could spawn an interesting dilemma for the party. Usually, the major Republican office-holder who is next up for re-election is given consideration for who he or she wants to see in the chairmanship role. Based on statements made by Mike Mower, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s deputy chief of staff, the governor's choice looks like Tim Bridgewater, who twice lost primary elections to John Swallow for the GOP nomination for congress.
Also, Greene took a leave of absence as vice chair two years ago to be the lieutenant governor running mate of gubernatorial candidate Nolan Karras, who was Huntsman's opponent in the Republican primary in 2004.
That might not sit well with Huntsman, but Greene remains popular with the party's delegates. She was given much of the credit for helping Karras survive the convention and make it to the primary against Huntsman.
Cheers,
Paul Rolly
1:04 PM
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