A GUIDE TO THE CONGRESSIONAL RACES: UTAH

• Share

UTAH

Population (1994): 1,908,000 (up 10.7% from 1990), 0.7% of U.S. total

Voting-age population: 1,246,000; 1994 turnout, 42%

Median age: 26.2 years

Median household income: $35,716 ($3,454 above U.S. median)

Unemployment: 3.2% (2.4% below U.S. average, March 1996)

Last presidential election: Clinton (D): 25% Bush (R): 43% Perot (I): 27%

Congressional delegation: One Democrat, four Republicans

Utah has long been a conservative stronghold. Since Mormon leader Brigham Young led his followers to their new desert home in 1847, the church has dominated both politics and daily life. In 1991 Utah passed the strictest abortion law in the country, permitting the procedure only in cases of rape and incest, or if the mother's life is endangered. The Beehive State also leads the country in number of hours its citizens work--an average of 48 per week, more even than the notorious workaholic Japanese. Democrats do have a toehold with Representative Bill Orton, but in 1992 even third-party candidate Ross Perot won more votes here than Bill Clinton.

JAMES HANSEN (R) District 1 (West--Salt Lake City suburbs; Ogden; Logan)

BORN: Aug. 14, 1932, Salt Lake City EDUCATION: U of Utah, B.S., 1960 FAMILY: Wife, Ann; five children RELIGION: Mormon MILITARY: Navy, 1952-54 OCCUPATION: Insurance executive; developer POLITICAL CAREER: Farmington city council, 1968-72; Utah House, 1973-80; U.S. House, 1980- ADDRESS: P.O. Box 654, Farmington 84025. Tel.: 801-451-6500

Hansen, who has had the longest tenure of any Utah Representative, is seeking his ninth term. A key voice for local control in what some residents call the "war on the West," he opposes overdevelopment, but not enough to get the support of some environmentalists, who want Hansen to do more to protect the Western wilderness. Hansen has also led efforts to limit tobacco advertising.

THE ISSUES

Budget YES Medicare YES Defense NO Abortion YES Guns NO Gays YES Bosnia YES NAFTA YES Welfare YES Medical Leave NO (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)

QUOTE OF NOTE: "Tobacco-industry advertisers have no choice but to target children as today's customers, because yesterday's customers have already died from tobacco-related diseases."

GREGORY SANDERS (D) District 1

BORN: Dec. 16, 1949, Palo Alto, Calif. EDUCATION: Weber State College, A.S., 1972; U of Utah, B.S., 1974; Brigham Young U, J.D., 1977 FAMILY: Wife Linda; five children RELIGION: Mormon MILITARY: Army, 1977-80; Army Reserve, 1980- OCCUPATION: Lawyer POLITICAL CAREER: None ADDRESS: P.O. Box 165, Kaysville 84037. Tel.: 801-444-1996

Running against a G.O.P. incumbent in a heavily Republican district, Sanders hopes to turn his underdog status into a trump card. He refuses money from political-action committees, emphasizes the environment and says that though he is in favor of limiting the amount of state land in federal hands, he'll fight for more wilderness designations than his opponent supports.

THE ISSUES

Budget NO Medicare NO Defense YES Abortion NO Guns YES Gays YES Bosnia YES NAFTA NO Welfare YES Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)