The test of Gov. Jon Huntsman's mettle and political clout has arrived.

He already faces nasty battles with the Legislature over budget cuts and now the state Senate is vowing to torpedo one of his pet economic development initiatives:

Convincing rest of the world that Utah is normal.

To help the state's tourism industry, Huntsman last year successfully increased the size of a shot of liquor to match the rest of the civilized world. And in past months, he has methodically set the stage for removal of Utah's bone-headed "club" laws. Even the LDS church signaled it would not openly oppose the change.

But now, just days before the Legislature convenes, Senate President-elect Mike Waddoups has basically flipped off Huntsman, saying it ain't going to happen. Waddoups told the Deseret News:

We've got lots of things to offer in the state of Utah. If all we've got to offer them is alcohol, they'd better not come.

It's exactly the attitude that has undercut not only tourism but attracting talented people and their businesses to the state. Huntsman knows that the sneer, "You can't get a drink in Utah" is symbolic of a larger image problem: Utah has a very peculiar and unwelcoming culture that limits personal freedom.

Waddoups isn't thinking about the big picture, of course. Like nearly everything that happens in the Lege, this is another example of politics of the personal. The incoming Senate leader's wife has injured in an accident with a drunken driver several years ago. Waddoups gets to the point:

Frankly, I find that we have a lot of irresponsible drinkers in this state.