2006 at 12:22 pm | posted by Rep. Craig Frank
This morning’s news article ‘Secret votes’ hold key, by Deseret Morning News writers Bob Bernick and Lisa Riley Roche include the following statements:
“Frank is the co-chair of the new “Conservative Caucus” in the House GOP. But the 30-or-so caucus members have not collectively endorsed anyone in leadership races, said caucus chair Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper.
GOP leadership races are sometimes decided along geographic lines. And there has been some concern in both the House and Senate that there were too many leaders from Utah County in the 2005 and 2006 Legislatures.”
(‘Secret votes’ hold key, Bernick, Deseret Morning News, http//:deseretnews.com/dn/print/1,1442,650204751,00.html)
First, let me make a correction to a statement in the article and then I’ll make a couple of critical observations. (A kudo: Bob Bernick has been remarkably objective in a great deal of his articles regarding the legislature–one of the few.) Also, it should be pointed out that Bob has limited print space between the advertisments to present the facts–and I have unlimited space.
Frank (that’s me), is the current Vice-Chair of the Conservative Caucus–also, one of its two legislative founders. Greg Hughes, R-Draper is the sole Chairman (and co-founder) as elected by the members of the caucus. Greg has done a remarkable job bringing the members of the caucus together periodically to discuss policy and budgetary issues that have a direct effect on every citizen of this state. (If you want to give credit where real credit is due, then we would also include as a not-so-”posthumous”-braintrust-co-founder of this group, the former Representative Morgan Philpot. Philpot made the suggestion a few years ago [and then promptly resigned from the legislature and went to law school] to Greg and me that we start a caucus similar, but different in many ways, to the ol’ Cowboy Caucus of yesteryear.)
Early on, the members of the House Conservative Caucus (HCC) determined not to take a position on leadership races. This was determined, in part, because it was apparent that a number of HCC members would be running for leadership chairs–many of them running against eachother. Case-and-point: The majority leader’s chair is being sought by two active HCC members, Steve Urquhart and Dave Clark. Also, Becky Lockhart and Wayne Harper are members of the HCC and vying for the Whip’s chair. Craig Frank (me), Mike Morley, Ben Ferry, Jim Dunnigan, and Brad Dee, all members of the HCC, are running for the Assistant Whip’s seat. So, 11 individuals, at this point, have declared their intent to run for four elected leadership seats AND NINE OF THEM ARE HCC MEMBERS. Now do you see why we took that position early on???
(It would be interesting to note at this point that the two co-founders of the HCC have publicly supported two different candidates for the Majority Leader’s seat, Craig Frank is supporting Steve Urquhart and Greg Hughes is supporting Dave Clark.)
It is often true, that leadership races are decided along geographic and not philosophical boundaries. Often rurals vote differently than city folk–rightfully so. Representatives are just that–Representatives. And, even though a big chunk of our state has an inverted layer of smog over it at times, there are some who prefer to breathe the fresh clean pastural air of agrarian Utah.
OK, now here’s where we need to sort through the SLANT. I’m sure, occasionally, members of the Majority body are concerned that their District is being represented somewhat differently than other Districts, and that some, in fact, feel that Utah County would be an appropriate area to target in this type of arguement. THE FACT IS, that out of the twenty-one Republican (Majority) Senators, five of them represent Utah County. And, out of the four elected majority Senate seats (Pres., ML, MW, AMW), one is currently held by John Valentine. OK, LET’s DO THE MATH. Five Senators divided by 21 Senators equals 23.8%. OK, ONE MORE MATH PROBLEM (in the Senate). One Majority-Elected President from Utah County (John Valentine) divided by four equals 25%. So, 25% of the Senators from Utah County are in leadership and approximately 25% of Majority-Party Senators represent Utah County. (Remember the government all works on this Majority thing?!)
OK, now let’s do the math in the House.
There are currently 56 “Majority” Republicans in the House. Of those 56, 13 represent Utah County. Thirteen divided by 56 is 23.2%. Now lets take the one current elected leader from Utah County, Jeff Alexander, the Majority Leader, and divide him (not literally) by the four majority elected seats and you’ve got 25%, again. Now, 23.2% is nearly 25%, so the proportion of Utah County Majority Leadership is approximately the same as the percentage of representation of Utah County in the Majority Body. (I don’t mean to exclude my colleagues from the minority party in this equation, but we’ll do the math a different way when they take the majority…)
How do I know all this math…you ask?! Well, for the past 12 months I’ve also been serving as the “elected” (more like a linching) Chairman of the Utah County Legislative Caucus (see! another competing interest)–you know those 18 individuals who represent one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. It appears the math is correct. Currently, Utah County is proportionally represented in the Majority Leadership of both Houses in the legislature. So, I’m having a hard time understanding why this is a problem.
One more thing. Bob, appears to represent that Utah County has dominated the leadership market for two legislatures “2005 and 2006.” The reality: Leadership is elected for one term at a time (a two year stint) 2005 as well as 2006 (all included in the Fifty-Sixth Legislature). Everyone involved in those “Secret votes” enters the Secret Chamber to cast their Secret Ballot knowing they’re electing leadership for two years (2005 and 2006).
So, regional, philosophical, or otherwise…one thing’s for sure…on Friday Evening, November 10th, a duly-elected leadership team, in both the House and the Senate, will be elected by their respective majority bodies and ready to legislatively lead our state for another two years–2007 and 2008.
“The Power under the Constitution will always be in the People. It is entrusted for certain defined purposes and for a certain limited period to Representatives of their own choosing. And, whenever it is executed contrary to their interests or not agreeable to their wishes, their Servants can and undoubtedly will be recalled.” 
