Merrill Cook made it official Thursday, he's running as a Republican for the 2nd Congressional District.
The Deseret News reported Monday that Cook would enter the race this week.Cook, who faces his seventh political race in 12 years, said he wants to finish what he started in 1994.
Cook, and his wife, Camille, were upbeat and excited during his announcement on Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City.
"I know that I have run for office many times before, and lost. But, with each campaign, I have learned lessons about myself, and about the issues, which strengthen me and make me a better candidate," said Cook.
In 1994, Cook ran as an Independent Party candidate and finished a disappointing third behind Republican Enid Greene Waldhotlz and then-Democratic Rep. Karen Shepherd. Cook said on election night that he had promised Camille this was his last race. He quit the Independent Party and encouraged party members to join either the Democratic or Republican parties.
But after Waldholtz's personal and political life fell apart last November amid charges campaign and personal finance misdeeds, Cook said Camille and he started considering running again.
"Not only did I say he could run, I encouraged him to run," Camille told the Deseret News on Thursday. "We have to finish this."
Cook rejoined the Republican Party last month - a party he quit in 1988 to run as an independent against then-GOP Gov. Norm Bangerter - and Thursday said he wants to be a Republican in Congress for two reasons:
"Many of the positions I have been fighting for for years are now at the forefront of the Republican agenda." Cook says he's for a balanced federal budget, tax cuts, tax reform and tough crime fighting measures."
Secondly, the Republican Party is a big tent, says Cook. The party encourages people to participate, "even people like me," he joked.
Cook said he's proven he has strong support among independent voters (he finished second running as an Independent in the 1992 governor's race). "I'm the best choice among the Republican candidates to defeat the Democrats. I believe that many independents will choose to align themselves with the Republican Party, as I have, because they see that the GOP offers the best hope for the kind of change we all want."
To show that he already has some institutional GOP support, Cook was introduced by John Bennett, Sen. Bob Bennett's nephew, who said he had voted for GOP candidates, and against Merrill Cook, in previous elections but is glad to support Cook now that he has rejoined the Republican Party.
Cook joins a field of several Republicans running in the 2nd District, including David Harmer, former aide to Waldholtz; Todd Neilson, local CPA and former FBI agent; Carol Nixon, former chief of staff to Bangerter; Jeffrey Peterson; David Brighton Timmins; Carlton Bowen; and Daniel Paul Barker (who lists an Ogden address, outside the district).