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SALT LAKE CITY -- Since ousting U.S. Republican Sen. Bob Bennett from office, Tim Bridgewater and Mike Lee have been trying to differentiate themselves on the issues. When it comes to tapping into Utah's rich energy resources, each candidate has a different approach to taking advantage of what the state has to offer.
As Tuesday primaries approach quickly, both candidates agree the federal government should get out of the way and give Utahns better access to public lands. The federal government owns 2/3 of the land in Utah, which according to both candidates is the problem.
Candidate Mike Lee wants to remove the lock on federal funding for oil shale leasing on federal lands. He says we depend heavily on foreign oil. In fact, "$500 billion worth of foreign oil every single year in this country," he says.
In the long run, Lee says that dependence is not only costly but dangerous. "A lot of those countries that are getting rich off of us," he says, "are countries inhabited by a lot of people who don't like us very much." Furthermore Lee believes that "some of them are using that money to fund acts of terrorism against us."
Meanwhile, Tim Bridgewater says there's a lesson to be learned from the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. "We should drill for natural gas and oil onshore where we can do it more safely," he says.
Bridgewater also says the federal government needs to partner up with Utah to make that possible. "We have an energy policy that is very protective, overly protective of the environment," he says. "I think we can find a better balance." Bridgewater hopes local companies can be part of that process. "We have to work with local officials to ensure that they have a strong voice in the process," he says. "And not rely on the federal bureaucrats in Washington to decide if and when we can access these lands."
Both candidates say right now they're concentrating on getting through Tuesday primaries. One of them will emerge to face democratic challenger Sam Granato for the U.S. Senate seat.
One of the founders of Utah's tea party movement endorsed Bridgewater on Monday.
David Kirkham's endorsement highlights a split in the movement following Bennett's defeat.
Lee already has picked up the support of the California-based Tea Party Express. Federal Election Commission reports show the group has spent $30,000 supporting Lee since Thursday.
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Story compiled with contributions from Nkoyo Iyamba and The Associated Press.
