* Gov. Norm Bangerter's bid for a second term has been endorsed by the Utah Association of Realtors, following a gubernatorial debate during the group's recent convention in St. George.
Gary Herbert, president of the 4,000-member association, said the Republican governor's long-standing support of housing, and "his strong belief in the free-enterprise system and his commitment to private property rights" led to the endorsement.The real estate agents also believe Bangerter's proposed tax-limitation plan, issued last month as an alternative to anti-tax initiatives on the Nov. 8 ballot, "is on the right track."
* A coalition called Hispanics for Wilson has been formed to support the Democratic candidate for governor, Ted Wilson. The nearly 100 members of the group plan to sponsor rallies on behalf of Wilson.
The group is composed of members of the Utah Hispanic Association, the Utah Democratic Caucus, the Utah Chapter of the National Hispanic Democrats, Hispanic Attorneys for Wilson and Hispanic Students for Wilson.
Hispanics for Wilson also hopes to register Hispanics to vote and help educate them on various issues, including the effects of the three tax initiatives.
* Utah Attorney General David Wilkinson has won the support of the Salt Lake Police Association, an endorsement he compares to the Boston police officers' support for presidential candidate George Bush.
"The Boston police knew (Massachusetts Gov. Michael) Dukakis better than Bush, but found him no friend of law enforcement," Wilkinson said, adding that Salt Lake police know his opponent, Democrat Paul Van Dam, better than they know Wilkinson.
"They found he (Van Dam) was like Dukakis - no friend of law enforcement," Wilkinson said.
Elden Tanner, president of the police association, said the endorsement came because Wilkinson has a record of effective efforts to prosecute criminals. Van Dam was too zealous in investigating police officers when he was Salt Lake County attorney, Tanner said.