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Anti-gay marriage group wants AG candidate debate

A political issues committee in favor of amending Utah's Constitution to block recognition of gay marriage is challenging three candidates for attorney general to debate the issue.

Brigham Young Professor Richard Wilkins, chairman of Yes For Marriage, said analysis of the amendment by the candidates - Libertarian Andrew McCullough, Republican incumbent Mark Shurtleff and Democrat Greg Skordas - is either "incorrect or misleading."

The three candidates agreed that the second part of Amendment 3, on ballots Nov. 2, would end up hurting Utah families and face legal challenges.

Wilkins disagrees and says the candidates should debate the issue in public. "Because the attorney general and the other candidates for that office have now issued what looks like a legal opinion, many people may give particular attention to these erroneous conclusions," Wilkins said.

Shurtleff respectfully declined the offer Thursday. Skordas said he is willing to meet with the group, but "I don't know how debating will make my arguments any more clear."

Online stumping

Less than three months out from Election Day, only two of the four Salt Lake County mayoral candidates have Web sites up and running. Democrat Peter Corroon's site - http://www.votecorroon.com - has the most features, from stands on issues to a photo gallery and even a place to submit contributions.

You also can contribute online to the Green Party's Diana Lee Hirschi - http://www.greenpartyofutah.org/dlh.html - whose site includes information on her, some issues and how to volunteer for the campaign. Incumbent Republican Nancy Workman's site - http://www.nancyworkman.com - has a picture of the mayor and several links for information about her, the issues, and the "Campaign Trail," but none of them work yet. Unaffiliated challenger Merrill Cook says his Web site - http://www.cookforcounty mayor.com - may be up and running this week.

Cody Judy write-in

Cody Judy refuses to give up.

Former Attorney General Paul Van Dam trounced Judy in the Utah Democratic Party Convention May 8 for the party's nomination to challenge Sen. Bob Bennett. Judy was convicted and served eight years in prison for threatening then-LDS Church apostle Howard W. Hunter during a fireside at Brigham Young University.

"He's not our candidate," said Democratic Party Chairman Donald Dunn.

But Judy, who ran unsuccessfully in a crowd of candidates against U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop two years ago, filed papers June 22 to run a write-in campaign for the seat.

And late last month, Judy notified the Federal Election Commission of his candidacy. "Best regards to my opponents in the race and a hearty welcome to debates I hope to meet you in," Judy wrote.

All together now

Vice President Dick Cheney's July 28 campaign stop in Salt Lake City was a reunion of sorts for Utah Republicans, bringing together one-time political opponents in a raucous roast of Democrats. Former gubernatorial candidate Fred Lampropoulos, acting as master of ceremonies, panned Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's anemic pitch at the Boston Red Sox Fenway Park before the Democratic National Convention last month.

"I want to have a president who can throw the pitch to home plate," Lampropoulos said. "I don't know if I were John Kerry if I would show my face there again. He's kind of got a pasta arm."

Jon Huntsman Jr., Republican nominee for governor, took a swipe at Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson. Huntsman said Matheson was running from any connection with the liberal party faithful gathered in Boston.

Matheson "is looking for one of the vice president's 'undisclosed locations,' Huntsman said.

And John Swallow, Matheson's challenger, threw his own barb about the congressman's new campaign slogan: "Matheson Puts Utah First."

"Jim Matheson no longer makes sense," Swallow said, referring to the congressman's old slogan. "Matheson puts Utah first 25 percent of the time."