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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A former U.S. Congressman and a state senator who said he wouldn't be seeking re-election both said Wednesday they would be seeking additional terms in office.
Merrill Cook is seeking the Republican nomination the 3rd Congressional District seat held by Republican Rep. Chris Cannon.
Cook previously held the 2nd Congressional District seat in 2000 before losing that election.
In a prepared statement, Cook said, "a group of traditional Republicans who feel that the party has veered from its core principles have asked me to attempt to return to Congress to help straighten out" problems in illegal immigration, excessive globalization, government overspending and lobbyists' influence.
State Sen. Parley Hellewell, R-Orem, also said he would be seeking re-election. He had previously said he wouldn't seek another term.
"On the legislative front, there is too much unfinished business. People think I need to be there to offer stability to the institution and stand up for moral values and moral issues. Now is not the time to leave," Hellewell wrote in a prepared statement.
In announcing his decision to not seek office in January, Hellewell said he was having difficulty balancing his work and family with his legislative responsibilities.
Hellewell says his workload has since decreased.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
