Sure, Utahns didn't please newly powerful Bill Clinton by making their state the only one where he finished third in the election.
But at least their votes made non-powerful Bo Gritz, Robert J. Smith, Ross Perot and George Bush happy - and even made Utah one of the best states for Socialists, Socialist Workers and independent Lyndon LaRouche as he campaigned from prison.That becomes clear now with comparative data for all candidates among the states prepared by the Federal Election Commission.
Because Utah has some of the easiest requirements to appear on a ballot for president - requiring a mere 300 signatures - it had the second-most candidates among the states appear on its ballot: 13. And many found that Utah was their best state.
That includes Smith, the nominee for the American Party. He received 292 votes in Utah. That may not seem like much. But those are the only 292 votes Smith received nationwide. He qualified to appear on the ballot only in Utah.
Utah was also the biggest state by far for Populist Party candidate Gritz. He received 28,602 votes in Utah. That's more than a quarter of the votes he received nationwide, and 10,000 more than he received in his second-best state of Louisiana. He appeared on ballots in 18 states.
Utah was good for Perot because it was the only state where he finished ahead of Clinton, with 27.4 percent of the vote compared to Clinton's 24.7 percent.
It was good for Bush because it gave him the largest margin compared to Clinton - giving Bush 13/4 votes for every vote it gave Clinton. (Alaska, however, gave Bush a little better overall percentage in the Bush-Perot-Clinton race).
Utah may have a reputation as conservative, but it turned out to be the third most Socialist state in the November election. Of course, Socialist John Quinn Brisben appeared on the ballot in only three states and the District of Columbia.
He won 151 votes in Utah, which was third among states to the 1,211 he received in Wisconsin and the 1,356 he had in Tennessee. Socialist Workers Party candidate James Mac Warren also found Utah was his 10th best state with the 200 votes it gave him.
Utah was the fifth best state for Independents for Economic Recovery candidate Lyndon La-Rouche, who campaigned from a federal prison. He received 1,089 votes in Utah. The only states to give him more were the much larger Louisiana, New Jersey, Ohio and Virginia.
Utah was also the ninth best state for Campaign for a New Tomorrow candidate Ron Daniels (with 177 votes); the 11th best for Natural Law Party candidate John Hagelin (1,319 votes); the 18th best state for U.S. Taxpayers candidate Howard Phillips (with 393 votes); the 32nd best for Libertarian candidate Andre Marrou; and 34th for New Alliance candidate Lenora Fulani.