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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Popular state Rep. Patricia Jones is trying to keep a Democratic hold on a Senate district that leans Republican in one of the tightest races in the Utah Legislature this fall.
All 75 House seats and 16 of the Senate's 29 seats are up for election, but only a handful of those races are in serious contention and most are in Salt Lake County, where the Jones contest figures prominently.
Another toss-up in Ogden has Police Chief Jon Greiner, a Republican who toppled an incumbent in a June primary, facing Democrat Stuart Reid, the city's former economic development chief.
Democrats say Reid represents their best hope of gaining a seat in the Legislature.
Nobody expects the Nov. 7 election to change the balance of power. Republicans occupy 77 of the Legislature's 104 seats and can advance constitutional amendments or override the governor's veto without any help from Democrats, if they stick together.
Instead, party bosses are fighting over margins, and the race between Jones and Republican newcomer Dirk Anjewierden -- another aggressive and articulate candidate -- highlights seats that are up for grabs.
Jones is trying to replace Sen. Patrice Arent, who proved that a moderate Democrat could win in one of Salt Lake City's wealthy east-bench suburbs. Senate District 4 covers most of Holladay and Millcreek and smaller parts of Murray and Cottonwood Heights.
"Everybody's saying it's close," said Anjewierden, executive director for the trade group Utah Health Care Association, who is getting money and support from the Utah Republican Party.
"It's not a shoo-in for anyone," said Jones, who barters for power with Republicans as House minority whip.
"People are tired of political bickering. They're looking for people who have accomplished things in a bipartisan way. They're looking for legislators who don't have special interests," said Jones in a dig at her opponent, a lobbyist for nursing homes.
Anjewierden portrays his day job as an asset in the Legislature, where he says he can bring expertise on public health-care funding.
"No one at the Legislature really understands Medicaid," Anjewierden said.
He said many lawmakers don't even know the difference between Medicaid, a health program for the poor and disabled, and Medicare, for anyone 65 or over.
Jones, a high-profile Democrat who fights for better public education financing, is a registered Republican so she can vote for certain Republicans in GOP primaries. She is co-owner of the polling firm Dan Jones & Associates.
Among other races, Democrats are aiming for an elephant, House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, who captured just 52 percent of the vote two years ago. Curtis faces Democrat F. Jay Seegmiller, an Amtrak conductor.
"I just don't think the speaker's going to lose it, but Democrats would like to beat him," said House Majority Leader Jeff Alexander, R-Provo.
Democrats also are aiming at House budget chairman Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley City, who represents a swing district that gave him a plurality of only 100-200 votes in his last two elections. He faces Democrat Michael Lee, a sheriff's deputy.
Overall, Republicans are betting they'll gain two seats in the Utah House, where they hold sway 56-19. And in the Senate, Democrats are playing defense, forced into a fight to keep their eight seats that are up for election.
Two Democratic senators are departing -- Arent of Murray and Karen Hale of Salt Lake City -- which could make way for a Republican upset.
Republicans control 21 of the Senate's 29 seats.
Rep. Ross Romero, D-Salt Lake City, is leaving House District 26 to try to replace Hale. He will face Republican Bryce Jolley, a former Salt Lake City councilman.
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On the Net: Utah Legislature: http://www.le.utah.gov
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
