Voters who are tired of Democrats and Republicans in the 3rd Congressional District do have three other choices on Election Day.
The Libertarian Party and Socialist Workers Party also nominated candidates, and another person running has no party affiliation whatsoever.Third-party candidates typically get little attention during political campaigns at any level. Many are one-issue candidates or people with a cause. Even Ross Perot has trouble being taken seriously. Because he was excluded from the presidential debates, he bought his own air time.
The alternative candidates in the 3rd District hardly have the money to print campaign fliers, let alone put themselves on television. Some don't even campaign. Still, a few are angered at being left out of the public debates.
But Libertarian candidate Amy L. Lassen isn't one of them.
"If I was trying hard, I would be offended if I wasn't included," said the West Valley homemaker and mother of two. Lassen, who has a degree in political science from the University of Utah, said her top priority is her children. She has neither the time nor the money to mount an all-out campaign.
Lassen, 29, is running at the "besieging of my party. Why does anyone run?" Nevertheless, she views herself as a good candidate.
For Libertarians, taxation is always the No. 1 issue. Lassen would like to eliminate income tax and return power to states and individuals, especially regarding education. "The federal government has no place in most programs," she said. She favors tariffs and excise taxes to pay for true federal functions such as national defense.
Unlike the mainstream candidates in the 3rd District, Lassen is pro-choice on abortion. "We must insist on a woman's right to choose without subsidizing her choice," she said. Individual decision and responsibility should be the guiding principles, she said.
While Libertarians have a clear platform, unaffiliated candidate Gerald "Bear" Slothower has none at all.
"I have no ideology," said the 46-year-old mining engineer at Kennecott. He said he agrees with some conservative and some liberal ideas. Slothower said he offers a common-sense look at issues without an underlying theme.
Slothower, who talks a lot of politics with associates
at work, said almost everyone is disgusted with the major political parties and big-money politics. But instead of grumbling about it and going into hibernation as his nickname suggests - fellow Boy Scouts dubbed him "Bear" at age 13 because of his snoring and desire to stay in his sleeping bag at camp - Slothower says he is doing something about it.
"I present myself more as a protest vote against any real chance of winning the election," he said. A vote for him, he said, is a message to the other parties that "we're fed up with you guys."
Despite having no chance to win, Slothower campaigns door-to-door in his Copperton neighborhood and beyond, passes out fliers and puts up campaign signs.
Slothower would like to see the federal budget balanced. "I don't think it has to be done on the backs of the poor and elderly," he said. He opposes any tax cuts at this time.
Socialist Workers Party candidate John P. Langford, who has also ran for a seat in the Utah Legislature, doesn't campaign just at election time. "Actually, we campaign 52 weeks a year," he said. The Socialist Workers agenda will be advanced only by a mass social movement, he said.
Langford, 43, said he qualifies for Congress because he represents an alternative to the parties of war, racism and economic depression. "It's entirely a working-class campaign," he said
The MagCorp production worker favors shortening the work week from 40 hours to 30 hours without a corresponding cut in pay. The move would spread work around for more people, he said. Langford also believes the minimum wage is too low. He favors it being set at $10 to $12 an hour "so workers can get out of poverty."
A member of the steelworkers union, Langford has helped organize a tour of striking coal miners in Utah and has participated in actions to support the rights of immigrant workers, including demonstrations against Prop 187 in California. Langford, who lives in northwest Salt Lake City, marched at an immigrants' rights rally in Washington, D.C., two weeks ago. He also has been involved in the anti-apartheid and abortion rights movements.