Candidates hope to pack Tuesday's caucuses with supporters(Utah)

SALT LAKE CITY — Tuesday will be 2010's first election day, when Utahns will gather in neighborhood caucuses to elect delegates to party conventions.

It is a particularly important day for three-term Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, and the seven conservatives who are challenging him from the right. They report frenetic efforts to ensure their supporters attend the caucuses and are elected. Democrats also have two candidates in that Senate race.

Other races where parties must use the caucus, convention and primary process to narrow the field include the 2nd District U.S. House race where Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, faces a challenge from the left in his party while multiple Republicans also are running; the GOP gubernatorial race; and numerous legislative and county races.

In the GOP Senate race, Bennett has consistently said the greatest threat to his re-election is at the state GOP convention, where delegates tend to be more conservative than the general public. He figures if he can survive the convention, he will do well with voters in primary or general elections.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700018553/Candidates-hope-to-pack-Tuesdays-caucuses-with-supporters.html