Sen. Jake Garn, one of Utah's most-respected politicians, announced Wednesday he'll retire from the U.S. Senate next year.
Garn, flanked by his wife, children and grandchildren, announced in an emotional State Capitol press conference that 18 years in the Senate is enough. If he ran in 1992 and won, at the end of his fourth term he'd have been in office 24 years.Choking back tears several times, Garn said the people of Utah have given him much more than he's ever given them. "The reason (for not running) is strictly personal. I want to spend more time with these people," he said looking at his family.
Tears welled in his eyes and he had to stop speaking when he talked about his family, his relationship with U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch - who was present at Garn's announcement - and Garn's first wife, Hazel, who died in a 1976 car crash en route to Washington, D.C.
"The high point in my tenure, personally, was the space shuttle flight. To see the planet from space puts a perspective on life," Garn recalled. The low point was Hazel's death.
"I was going to resign from the Senate," Garn said, his voice cracking. "I told my mother I had to come back to Utah. How could I raise four children alone? She said, `Have I ever given you bad advice?' I said no. She said to give it six months, that someday I'd find a new companion. I said no, I'd never marry again. She just smiled. The Lord blessed me with another companion. In adversity great strength can be found. Look at this family. No man has been blessed more."
Garn's departure means a flurry of excitement among Republicans, who'll jockey for the chance at the U.S. Senate representing one of the most Republican states in the nation. Already considering the race are Geneva Steel President Joe Cannon, Salt Lake County Commissioner Mike Stewart and Public Service Commissioner Ted Stewart (no relation). Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, is looking at the governor's race next year but has said he'll keep the Senate race open.
On the Democratic side, businessman Doug Anderson has already said he'll run, Garn or no Garn. Kyle Kopitke, former Salt Lake County candidate, is also in. And Scott Matheson Jr. is considering the Senate race, as well.
The 1992 race would have been one of the toughest ever for Garn, says Deseret News/KSL-TV pollster Dan Jones. In a just-completed poll, Jones found that 44 percent of Utahns wanted Garn to run again. But 49 percent said he should step aside and let someone new serve. Two percent said Garn's 1992 candidacy depends on who else would run; 5 percent didn't know.
"For anyone else, that's a fine naked re-elect poll," said Jones. But in similarpolls taken in November 1990 and in 1986, 55 percent of Utahns said Garn should run again. So, over time, Garn has dropped 10 points.
"Garn has always been the most popular Republican politician in the state," Jones said. "He still gets high job performance ratings. But 24 years is a long time, and with the movement across the nation toward limitation of terms, many people are thinking twice (about Garn's re-election)." Jones said the savings and loan bailout problems also have harmed Garn. "But people who know, know how hard he fought that mess," he said.
Garn was a Salt Lake insurance agent when he decided in 1967 to run for the Salt Lake City Commission. He won and was assigned to oversee the Water Department. In 1971 he ran for mayor. He won that race as well.
In 1974, then-Mayor Garn decided to run for the Senate against the leading Democratic challenger - Rep. Wayne Owens. Owens was well ahead in the polls, but Garn kept picking away at him, charging negative campaigning.
Garn won a close race, beginning what has since been called the "Republicanation of Utah."
With the Reagan landslide of 1980, Garn won an impressive re-election victory against Democrat Dan Berman and Republicans swept into the majority in the Senate. Garn was named chairman of the powerful Banking Committee. He helped rewrite banking law for a decade and has been called to task for his part in the deregulation of the savings and loan industry.
Garn defended himself time and again against the charges. Indeed, he's well-documented his warnings, time after time, of the impending collapse of the savings and loan industry - a collapse that will cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars. Deregulation, Garn said Wednesday, is one of his legislative high points. "If I'd been listened to, and state-regulated savings and loans controlled as our federal institutions, taxpayers wouldn't be paying $500 billion today."
Garn won re-election to a third term in 1986 in a one-sided race against Democrat Craig Oliver. But Democrats retook control of the Senate in 1986, and Garn lost his committee chairmanship.
Garn re-married several years after Hazel's death, combining his old family with his new one. As the balding senator liked to joke: "Some men spend their energies trying to grow hair. I've got a four- and two-year old (with his new wife, Kathleen)."
A Navy flier - Garn flew tankers in the Utah Air National Guard for years - Garn was a space enthusiast. His powerful Senate position allowed him to fly on the space shuttle Discovery in April 1985. His assignment: work on space sickness and other medical operations.
In 1986, Garn donated one of his kidneys to his diabetic daughter, Susan Garn Horn. The operation was a success, Garn was praised for his courage and selflessness.
Garn is recognized as one of the true conservatives in the Senate. He's steadfastly supported military spending and voted time and again against tax increases.
When he first arrived, Garn ruffled feathers in the Senate, which he called one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. But over the years he's become an accepted, well-respected member. "I love being a senator. Senator Garn would run again. But father and husband Garn won out," he said Wednesday.
His temper is legendary. At the end of the 1990 Congress, Garn got into a shouting match with then-Sen. Pete Wilson, R-Calif., over the Central Utah Project's funding. Wilson was running for California governor - a post he won - and sunk the CUP funding over California water politics. Garn shouted to Wilson that he'd better win the governor's race because he wasn't going to get anything out of the next Congress if Garn could help it.
Garn, 58, said Senate ethics rules prohibit him even talking about what he'll do after 1992. "I'll be working hard for the next 18 months. Monday I'll be fighting again for the space station (funding). I'm retiring from public office, but not public life. I'll be active in the affairs of Utah and the nation that I believe in."