House Minority Whip Kelly Atkinson, D-West Jordan, will run for the 2nd Congressional seat, state Democratic Chairman Mike Zuhl says. Atkinson couldn't be reached for comment Friday morning.

After moderate Democrat Jim McConkie said he was getting out of the race because fellow Democrat Ross Anderson wouldn't step aside, some Democrats went looking for another moderate to get in the race. "A number of party leaders met, decided there should be an alternative (to Anderson), and Kelly was asked and has agreed to run," Zuhl said.While Democrats have found another 2nd District candidate, they haven't found someone to run against GOP Gov. Mike Leavitt. "We're still working on that," Zuhl said Friday morning. But he couldn't say if someone acceptable to party leaders could be found by Monday night's candidate filing deadline. Thus there's real possibility that Leavitt will face no Democrat in his re-election bid.

Saturday, the Democratic Central Committee will meet in the state Capitol to decide if "unwanted" minor Democratic gubernatorial candidates will be banned from running under the party banner, Zuhl said. Byron Marchant, who has run before as a Democrat for governor, has filed again this year. But under a new law, party leaders "certify" who their nominees are, and by a vote of the central committee can exclude someone from running as a Democrat.

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State elections director Kelleen Leishman said if any person is excluded by the party from running, he is off the ballot. The $410 gubernatorial filing fee wouldn't be refunded either.

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