Brian’s Utah Weblog

I’m disappointed in the Republican candidates.

Here in Utah, the Republican candidate usually wins statewide races.  This year we have a United States Senate seat up for election and the two candidates for the Republican nomination are reporting a week before the primary that they have raised only $218,000 and $182,000 each.  That includes all money raised for the convention and testing the waters before the primary.

* - Mike Lee’s reports have not been submitted and processed by the FEC, this data estimated based on old reports and SL Trib article

A US Senate seat is worth raising money for. When you’re so close to the Republican nomination it’s as easy as fund raising will ever get.  If you’re really qualified to manage a three trillion dollar budget, you know people who can send you a lot more money than this for such a good shot at the job. Bridgewater isn’t even trying very hard but throwing his own corporate welfare earnings into the campaign instead, which is a valid but unfortunate choice.

Polls seem to show Lee ahead so far in spite of Bridgewater’s money.

In November, you’ll have the choice of Sam Granato.  As a Democrat in Utah, he won’t find it as easy to raise money as the Republicans;  big donors prefer to give money only to the sure thing.  But he’ll work a lot harder for us.

Standard Oil of California (dba Chevron) was out in force in Liberty Park.  They had a lot of big trucks and one little canoe with a U-shaped boom trying to clean up oil slicks in the pond.  The Trib says the ducks and geese have been taken to Hogle Zoo for scrubbing.

The water looks browner and less green than I’m used to in June, but that’s probably because of all the rain we’ve been getting.