| State Senator Mike Dmitrich carries around the ballot box during the county Democratic convention last Friday night. The convention generated the candidates who will run in the primary and general elections this year. |
In the last two weeks both the Carbon County Republican and Democratic parties in the county have come up with their list of candidates to vie for office in November.
And now there are two in the primary election as well.
On Friday night balloting determined that a runoff for Carbon County recorder would be required during the primary election which will be held on June 27.
In that primary incumbent Democratic recorder Sharon Murdock will face Vikki Barnett.
With the exception of one other race within the county, no other offices that are open are being contested.
The only exception is that in the Republican convention on April 20, Gerald Lloyd was selected as GOP’s opponent to long time county commissioner Bill Krompel. That contest will be decided on November 7.
Other Democratic candidates came out of their parties convention unscathed and do not have to face a runoff. They also do not have any organized opposition to their intentions in the November election. Those people include County Commissioner/Surveyor Steven Burge, County Sheriff James Cordova, County Clerk Robert Pero, Treasurer Marilyn Graham, Assessor Nancy Ferderber and County Attorney Gene Strate.
While local candidates have little opposition, incumbent candidates for federal offices are facing some stiff challenges in their races this year.
United States Senator Orrin Hatch will face opposition from a fellow Republican in the primary election, along with the challenges filed by Democratic and third party candidates.
| One of the challengers for the third congressional district seat held by Jim Matheson, Kris Lounsbury, talks with Tom Dimick during the Carbon County Republican Convention that was held April 20. |
The Republican candidates running against Hatch include Lawrence Ray Topham and Michael T. Ridgeway, both of Salt Lake, Ronald H. Levine of Midvale and Brian E. Jenkins of Saratoga Springs.
The only Democrat filing a bid for the seat is Pete Ashdown of Salt Lake. He was in attendance at the Carbon Democratic Convention last week.
The other candidates challenging Hatch’s re-election bid to the U.S. Senate include Scott N. Bradley of Logan, Constitution Party; Julian Hatch of Boulder, Desert Greens Party; Joseph Lebonte of Provo and Roger I. Price of Huntsville, Personal Choice Party; and Dave Snarr Seely of St. George, Libertarian Party.
In the federal congressional district three, Democrat Jim Matheson has served two terms and is running for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives seat.
Matheson is running unopposed within the Democratic Party, but will face opposition from one of three Republican candidates.
Republicans LaVar Christensen of Draper, Kris Lounsbury of St. George and Joe Tucker of Lehi are all going for the right to face Matheson in November.
Additional opposition to Matheson’s re-election bid comes from Bob Brister of Salt Lake, Green Party of Utah; Austin Sherwood Lent of St. George, Libertarian Party; and David W. Perry of Sandy, Constitution Party.
The Republican log jam in both the senate and congressional seat will be partially settled in their state convention on May 13, but depending on what happens there could be a runoff during the primary.
At the state level, neither District 67 Rep. Patrick Painter of Nephi nor District 69 Rep. Brad King face opposition on the November 2006 election ballot. Painter represents the western one third of Carbon County while King represents the rest in the state house.
State Senator Mike Dmitrich’s seat is not up for election this year.