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SALT LAKE CITY — A second nonpartisan national political ratings entity has declared the 4th District rematch between Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, and Democrat Doug Owens a "toss-up."
Friday, the Cook Political Report joined Saboto's Crystal Ball in shifting the rating for the race from "leans Republican" to say both party candidates have an equal chance of winning in November.
David Wasserman, Cook's House editor, said in a Friday posting that "there's something of a perfect storm brewing in Utah. Freshman GOP Rep. Mia Love still hasn't bonded with this deeply red seat."
And, Wasserman pointed out, the GOP's nomination of controversial billionaire businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump "creates the possibility many Mormon Republicans will stay home."
Trump was a distant third in Utah's March GOP presidential preference caucus vote, and polls at the time showed if he became the nominee, Utah would vote for a Democrat for president for the first time since 1964.
Owens, an attorney and son of the late Utah Congressman Wayne Owens, came within 5 percentage points of beating Love in 2014 for the state's newest congressional seat that includes southwest Salt Lake and western Utah counties, as well as parts of Sanpete and Juab counties.
Two years earlier, Love lost the seat to Utah's last Democratic member of Congress, former Rep. Jim Matheson. Matheson chose not to run for an eighth term in 2014 and campaigned for Owens.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which has targeted the race with personnel and other resources estimated to be worth some $1.5 million, is circulating the new ratings for the race.
On Thursday, Larry J. Saboto's weekly Crystal Ball report published by the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said Owens' stronger fundraising this cycle, along with the impact of the presidential race, could hurt Love.
Dave Hansen, Love's campaign manager, said it's too soon to say how Trump will affect Utah voters. Love, named one of 35 possible vice presidential picks for Trump by the Washington Post, has said she's not interested and has not endorsed her party's candidate.
Taylor Morgan, spokesman for Owens' campaign, said voters "have seen a better way, and they're responding to Doug's message of getting things done and working hard for them, not D.C. party bosses or special interests."
