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Richard Piatt ReportingUtah Democrats say several legislative races are being influenced by an out of state Pro-tuition Tax Credit group, but Republicans say this year's campaign is legal and valid, and only highlights differences between the candidates.
Education is at the heart of this. There is a lot of money flowing going into a handful of races--what could be as much as 20-thousand dollars each.
It's natural that Republicans would aim for Democrat incumbents in the Utah House, but democrats say this year an unprecedented amount of money is being spent to try and turn over five House seats, in particular: Democrat Carol Spackman Moss against Republican Sandy Thackery, Karen Morgan against GOP candidate Robin Bagley, Democrat LaWanna Shurtliff against George Garwood, Jim Gowans versus Republican Jess Clifford, and incumbent Carl Duckworth against Deena Ely.
In each race, several different mailers have been going out to voters every week, from republicans, in some case, up to $2,000 worth per campaign. The literature highlights candidate differences in immigration, same sex marriage and education.
Democrats say up to 20-thousand dollars per candidate--a record amount from a single source--is funneled from out of state to a Utah-based group, both supporting school choice or Tuition Tax credits.
Wayne Holland, Utah Democratic Party: "We've got some unscrupulous profiteers in this state who are trying to privatize public schools for quite some time, and they're putting money behind these candidates."
Democrat Party chair Wayne Holland says the mailers are an attempt by one special interest to buy legislative seats. But Republicans fire back, pointing out the campaigns are a legitimate, legal counterbalance to the UEA's influence on Democrats and its interest in maintaining the status quo.
Jeff Hartley, Utah Republican Party: "This is about giving teachers and students better options in education. And if the democrats and the UEA oppose that, the public has a right to know that."
Candidates on both sides of the aisle are shy to talk about the mailers on camera. As a partisan, Legislative issue, though, there is nothing hotter than education choice this year--a sign of how divisive parental choice has gotten.
