Swallow earns a Matheson rematch

[Freddie Stubbs]

By Rebecca Walsh
The Salt Lake Tribune

2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT


A rematch of the 2002 Republican primary in Utah's 2nd Congressional District followed the script of the first:

Attorney and former legislator John Swallow squeaked by venture capitalist Tim Bridgewater by 3,000 votes in Tuesday's election. With 504 of 506 precincts reporting at press time, Swallow led with 53 percent of the vote to Bridgewater's 47 percent. Swallow will face Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson in November.

"It was a rough campaign. It was a real battle," Swallow said. "It's been won by, like most things in life, a lot of hard work."

Bridgewater says his run at politics is over. "The voters of the second district have decided we should retire from politics," he said. "We have run a couple times and have not had success. It is probably time to go back to the business sector."

more: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Jun/06232004/utah/178173.asp

[David__77]

1. It won't be nearly as close as last time.

Bush will of course carry the district, but not by a landslide--I'd guess maybe less than 15 points. Salt Lake City will turn out in droves for Matheson and rural Utah and Utah County (home of Provo) will not manage to run up the 4-to-1 margin for the GOP necessary to counter that.