Republican state chairman Bruce Hough wants Democratic Rep. Karen Shepherd to resign and stand for re-election now. Shepherd says Hough must be dreaming.
Republican Party leaders have taken an aggressive stand against Shepherd, criticizing her from the first of her term this January. The criticisms increased after Shepherd voted, first, for a general energy-tax increase and then later for President Clinton's budget/deficit package, which includes a 4.3-cent gasoline tax hike in place of the general energy tax.Hough said Friday that because Shepherd broke her "no new taxes" pledge made during last year's 2nd District race, she should resign her seat and stand for re-election in a special election. That way, citizens in the 2nd District - which includes most of populated Salt Lake County except for the western half of Salt Lake City and West Valley City - would get a chance at a "no confidence" vote on Shepherd's deficit/tax vote.
Shepherd spokesman Beverly Miller said Shepherd would not resign. Supporting the Clinton budget/deficit plan "was a painful vote for Karen," Miller said. "She promised two things during her campaign: that she would not vote to raise taxes and that she would vote to reduce the deficit. Unfortunately, on this vote the two were opposed. She had to choose. She choose reducing the deficit. She could have taken the vote (not to raise taxes) that would have benefited her personally and politically. Instead, she chose the vote that benefited everyone in her district - reduce the deficit."
Hough quoted a Deseret News/
KSL poll that showed 55 percent of 2nd District residents oppose Clinton's budget/deficit plan, while only 35 percent support it. That proves, Hough said, that Shepherd voted against the wishes of her constituents.