Lt. Gov. Val Oveson, one of the early leaders in the 1992 governor's race, shocked the Republican establishment Thursday by announcing that he won't run next year after all.
Oveson, 39, previously had told reporters and others that he would attempt to succeed GOP Gov. Norm Bangerter, who said late last year that he won't seek a third term.Oveson's departure has the most immediate effect on Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, who will decide within the next several months whether he'll run for governor or seek re-election to his U.S. House seat.
In the latest Deseret News/KSL-TV poll, Hansen received 28 percent support in a possible Republican Party primary with Oveson getting 14 percent support. The rest of the field was way behind, found pollster Dan Jones & Associates. Among all possible candidates, Republicans and Democrats, Oveson finished third.
"This is a purely personal decision," said Oveson. "Politically, it is wrong not to run. But in my gut, my heart, I just didn't want to run, didn't want to make the sacrifice you have to make - 15 months of 16-hour campaign days. And the day after the election, I can tell you from personal experience, it just gets worse."
Oveson is a certified public accountant. As a boy-wonder politician, at age 28 he won the state auditor's job in 1980, serving four years before Bangerter - then speaker of the Utah House - tapped him as his lieutenant governor running mate in 1984. Bangerter and Oveson won two terms together.
"I have no immediate plans. I'm still a CPA and could return to private practice. I plan on staying lieutenant governor until our term ends (in January 1993)."
Oveson won't rule out a future political campaign, even in 1992. "I'm not running for governor. I've been in this (political) business long enough to know you never say never. I don't plan on being a candidate for any other office, but I'm not closing the door." Other political possibilities are the U.S. House or the U.S. Senate.
In 1990, Oveson considered moving from his Bountiful home back to Orem, where he grew up and was a football star at Orem High School, to run for the 3rd Congressional District seat. Early polls showed him with a healthy lead, and many said Oveson would coast to the GOP nomination and into the U.S. House. But Oveson decided not to run, waiting for the next governor's race.
Now he's out of that, as well.
"I was running (for governor). But over this summer of my discontent I just reviewed a lot of personal things." Oveson saw the movie "Regarding Henry," where a high-powered lawyer is mentally crippled by a bullet and his life changes forever - in the process finding in his family his heart and strength. "It bounced me off the walls. I came out of that movie vowing two things: to buy my kids a dog and not run for governor."
Actually, his decision was more complicated than just watching a movie, Oveson says. "I have a wonderful wife and four great kids. To run and serve as governor means giving up a very important part of your personal life. I just don't want to do that right now. It wasn't one convenient thing that made up my mind (not to run), but a soul searching that took several months."
Oveson believes he would have been a good candidate, would have won and would have been a good governor.
"In the end, the fire (to run) just wasn't in the belly. And you have to have that."
Other Republicans looking at the race, besides Hansen, include insurance executive and GOP consultant Mike Leavitt, who says he's definitely in the race, and lecturer-writer Richard Eyre, who is seriously considering the race. Salt Lake County Commissioner Mike Stewart also is considering the race.
"My guess is there'll be many surprises in the governor's race yet to come. The field isn't set by any means," Oveson said.