IOGP Election Guide - Five Races to Watch

Tomorrow is Election Day, and while the midterms lack the drama of a presidential race or hotly-contested statewide offices, there will still be some Utah legislative races to monitor. Here they are:

Five Local Races to Watch

Utah House Congressional District 4: Mia Love (R) vs. Doug Owens (D)
The latest Utah Policy poll (conducted by Dan Jones and Associates) has Mia leading by 48% to 43%, with 6% undecided. Mia is a former Mayor of Saratoga Springs. Doug is an attorney in Salt Lake City and the son of former Utah Congressman Wayne Owens.

Utah Senate District 4 (East SL County): Jani Iwamoto (D) vs. Sabrina Petersen (R)
Senate D4 primarily covers the Millcreek and Holladay areas of Salt Lake County. Incumbent Pat Jones (D) is not running for re-election. In 2012, Sen. Jones took 56% of the vote against the republican’s 43%. Jani Iwamoto is a former member of the Salt Lake County Council and Sabrina Petersen is currently on the Holladay City Council.

House District 31 (West Valley): Rep. Larry Wiley (D) vs. Sophia DiCaro (R)
Rep. Wiley won 50.5% to 49.5% - less than a 1,000 votes – in 2012. Rep. Wiley was first elected to the House in 2008 and currently serves on the House Rules Committee and Natural Resources and Ag Appropriations subcommittee. DiCaro has worked for the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and Governor’s Office of Economic Development.

House District 44 (Murray): Christine Passey (D) vs. Bruce Cutler (R)
Incumbent Tim Cosgrove (D) is not running for re-election. In 2012, Rep. Cosgrove took 55% of the vote. Cutler has a computer science degree from the Unviersity of Utah and has served on the Murray School Board. Christine has been active in grassroots advocacy, especially for children with autism.

House District 69 (Carbon and Duchesne County): Brad King (D) vs. Bill Labrum (R)
Brad King served in the Utah Legislature from 1997 to 2008, serving in House Minority Leadership during most of that tenure. Brad has recently retired after 33 years working for USU Eastern. Bill Labrum defeated incumbent Jerry Anderson and former legislator Christine Watkins in the 2014 republican primary.

Five National Senate Races to Watch
Currently the U.S. Senate includes 53 Democrats and 45 Republicans with 2 Independent Senators (both caucus with the Democrats). There are a number of Senate races to watch that will be key to determine which party will be in control fo the Senate for the 114th Congress. We’ve highlighted five of these races:

Arkansas: Sen Mark Pryor (D) vs. Tom Cotton (R)
Arkansas is becoming more Republican (recently gaining a majority in the General Assembly in 2012), and Sen. Pryor is being challenged by Rep. Cotton, a well-liked congressman from Southern Arkansas. Fivethirtyeight.com polling has Cotton ahead by 5.1 points.

Colorado: Sen. Mark Udall (D) vs. Cory Gardner (R)
Sen. Udall’s approval ratings have dropped with the President’s, and Cory Gardner is a rising star within the Republican Party. Fivethirtyeight.com polling has Garnder ahead by 1.9 points.

Georgia: David Perdue (R) vs. Michelle Nunn (D)
Georgia leans right, giving Perdue an edge, but Democrats in the state are excited about Nunn’s chances of ending the party’s 14-year dry spell in the Senate. Fivethirtyeight.com polling has Perdue ahead by 1.2 points.

Iowa: Bruce Braley (D) vs. Joni Ernst (R)
Looking to fill the open seat left by Sen. Tom Harkin, democrats settled on Rep. Braley (whose campaign has been beset by gaffes), and republicans chose state Sen. Ernst (while some hold reservations about her ability in the seat). Fivethirtyeight.com polling has Ernst ahead by 1.2 points.

Kansas: Sen. Pat Roberts (R) vs. Greg Orman (I)
Kansas is a red state, but Orman running as an independent has led to a stiff head-to-head polling battle between the two. Fivethirtyeight.com polling has Orman ahead by 0.2 points.

Also…

Top sites to view viewing election results and the latest polling information on the 2014 midterm elections:

• Utah Lt. Governor Elections Office

• Fivethirtyeight

• New York Times

• Real Clear Politics

Lt. Governor Spencer Cox to speak at USU

For his ice-bucket challenge, he jumped a bike into a mountain lake -- twice. He can rap the lyrics to Ice Baby, and has done so publicly. He plays the bass guitar in a local band.

Oh, and Spencer Cox also has a nice title: Utah lieutenant governor.

On Tuesday, Sept. 9, Lt. Gov. Cox will host the first policy forum for the Institute of Government & Politics at 5:30 P.M. in ESLC 046. (Full schedule for the series is found here).

Cox, a USU alumnus who went to law school at Washington & Lee University, gave an entertaining presentation last year about social media and politics. In front of a crowd, he can shine, as attendees at a recent tech conference learned, when he mixed self-effacing jokes and the aforementioned rap into his speech on tech in Utah.

For more on Cox, you can read a profile in the Deseret News, scan this list of recommended books on Utah Politico Hub, and visit the LG's website. Cox stays very active on Twitter, as well.

Tips and Tricks for a Summer in D.C.

Q&A with Sarah Hunt, summer intern for Senator Hatch.

What is the best place to visit in D.C.?
Arlington Cemetery had the biggest impact on me. My favorite place to visit was the Eastern Market because of all the people to meet and things to do.

Where is the best place to eat in D.C.?
My favorite place to eat was Good Stuff. The best hing to order is the Obama Burger, Village Fry, and toasted marshmallow shake. Also, we tested out just about every cupcake shop, and hands down the best is Baked and Wired.

What was your best work project or experience?
I'm going to be a teacher and I got to work with Senator Hatch's LA on legislation about student privacy. We did a lot of research and went to different briefings and hearings on the particular issue. She (the LA) showed me exactly how she was drafting the bill, who revised and edited it, why they changed what they did--right up to when Senator Hatch proposed it and got co-sponsors. I got to see it every step of the way.

What are some tips to survive the summer weather?
If you're a girl, don't spend forever-and-a-day on your hair and make-up because by the time you get to work, it'll be a mess. There are ways to get from Arlington (where the USU housing is located) and to your office in the Capitol without even having to go outside, like using the underground tunnels to the metro. Also, be sure to rent a car and go hit the beach.

What was the biggest surprise about getting to D.C.?
How much there is to do in D.C., whether it's a concert or an event, or just going shopping or to a club, there's always something happening every night. Or kayaking the Potomac (pictured right).

What class prepared you the most for your internship?
AP U.S. History. I didn't take many government or history classes because of my major, but knowing U.S. history really helped bring the experience to life when we were walking through the Capitol or seeing different sites.

What would you recommend to future interns?
Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Manage your expectations and enjoy the experience.

Sarah graduated in May with her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with a 4.0 GPA. She was valedictorian for the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and spoke at commencement. She was a Presidential Campaign Volunteer in Las Vegas. She is also a Presidential Scholarship recipient. Sarah completed a student teaching experience in Davis County and finished her student teaching in Norway earlier this year.

Why Work on a Campaign?

Spencer Jenkins, campaign manager for Pignanelli for Mayor, shares his perspectives

What value can students or interns bring to a political campaign? What type of work is typically needed?
The work can vary from posting campaign signs to developing strategy. Campaigns generally run very lean so the most valuable interns are the ones that are committed to assisting the candidate -- even in seemingly mundane ways.

What is different and better about working for a campaign than working in other political internships?
A campaign has a lot of excitement focused on a candidate or cause -- not always found when working in a policy or legislative office. That excitement also forges a stronger network of professional acquaintances for future opportunities.

How has your career benefited from working in campaigns?
Aside from my college degree, my campaign internship experiences have directly affected my career growth more than anything else in my professional experience. Even those campaigns that were not victorious, there was still a great sense of satisfaction that comes from hard, committed work for a cause I personally supported.

What is the best way for students to get involved in campaigns?
Find a candidate or cause you believe in, commit some time, and ask to help!

Check out the party websites to see how you can be involved in a campaign this year:

Utah Democrats
www.utahdemocrats.org
Cache Couty: Vincent.wickwar@gmail.com
http://www.cachedems.org/

Utah Republicans
www.utgop.org, http://www.utgop.org/volunteer.asp
Congressman Rob Bishop's campaign: www.votebishop.com


Spencer Jenkins is currently the Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs with the Utah System of Higher Education.

VIDEO: Todd Thorpe, lobbyist and USU alum

Check out the Q&A for Todd Thorpe and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more interviews with alum and guest speakers.