The six candidates running for Congress in the 3rd District are almost inter-changeable.
Their ideas on most issues aren't too far apart. Taxes are too high, welfare needs reforming, government spending must be cut. They all want the federal government to stop meddling in people's lives. They want power returned to the states."We all sound like Abe Lincoln with our canned speeches rolled into one," Tom Draschil said at a candidate forum last month.
Indeed, the candidates haven't done much to distinguish themselves. But maybe that doesn't matter yet. The general electorate doesn't have any say in their political futures. It will be up to delegates at Saturday's state Republican Party convention to peel back the layers on this six-headed candidate. Front-runners appear to be millionaire businessman Chris Cannon and Draschil, who nearlygrabbed the nomination two years ago.
Should delegates be unable to settle on one nominee, the top two candidates will square off in a primary election in June.
All six believe they're the "conservative" voice 3rd District voters want. They all want to join the Republican "revolution." They despise liberalism. They agree that Democratic Rep. Bill Orton is ineffective.
Contrast might lie in their degree of conservatism. But with the meaning of that term muddled these days, even that isn't clear. There's the moderate, the archconservative, the ultraconservative, the far right. Whatever happened to the ordinary Republican? These six candidates seem to cover the GOP spectrum. But one observer at a recent debate commented that even Newt Gingrich isn't conservative enough for this lot.
Here's a brief look at the prospects:
Bruce Blosil
Vital statistics: Divorced; father of two. 35 years old. Born in Northern California. Lives in Provo.
Education: Studied international relations and broadcast journalism at Brigham Young University.
Career highlights: Runs Utah Visual Classifieds, an Internet advertising firm. Also cofounded Molecular Engineering Inc., pharma-ceutical software research group. Recently filmed a documentary in Nepal and India.
Scouting report: Appears more moderate than counterparts. Aims to unshackle the feet of the American economy. Says liberals don't have a corner on helping the poor . . . conservatism is compassionate. Conservatives look out for people's well-being through lower taxes, allowing them to spend and invest their money to stimulate the economy. Advocates privatizing the Social Security system. Favors a flat tax on all business and personal income. Says super rich like Ross Perot would pay under his system. Government leaders have responsibility to provide moral vision. Only candidate to campaign on Internet.
Quotable: "I'm involved because I believe politics is a contest of ideas."
Chris Cannon
Vital statistics: Married; father of seven. 46 years old. Born in Salt Lake City. Lives in Mapleton.
Education: Economics and law degrees from BYU. Flunked out of Harvard Business School.
Career highlights: Owns Cannon Industries, a Salt Lake venture capital firm. Helped brother Joe reopen Geneva Steel . . . left company after rift with brother. Worked as deputy and associate solicitor general in Reagan administration. Net worth about $6 million.
Scouting report: Has trouble going left . . . Donated to Deedee Corradini's mayoral campaign in 1991. But contributed to "Anybody But Deedee" campaign in 1995. Well-heeled in Republican politics. Raised money for various national and state GOP candidates. Calls himself a Reagan Republican. Wants to return government to the states. Says Congress must avoid enacting policies that undermine basic values. Equates IRS to the Gestapo. Favors a flat tax with a single low rate and few, if any, deductions.
Quotable: "Nobody can hate the IRS more than I do."
Tom Draschil
Vital statistics: Divorced; remarried; father of 12. Born in Texas. 46 years old. Lives in Provo.
Education: Economics and law degrees from BYU.
Career highlights: Runs antiques and real estate business . . . trades "world-class" antiques such as Rolls-Royces for real estate or investment deals. Advertises on Internet. Has been into manufactured housing, oil wells and a paraplane dealership. Has pilot's license. Has lived and worked in Louisiana, Virginia and Texas.
Scouting report: Tried going left once . . . interned for liberal Democratic Sen. Lloyd Bentsen. Writes it off as good experience, wrong boss. Lost to Dixie Thompson in 1994 GOP primary. One of several archconservatives in the race. Says the federal government is an octopus strangling people's freedom. Wants to wipe out some federal agencies such as the Department of Education. Says Utah should have zero acres of federal wilderness. Favors flat tax or consumption tax as a step toward elim-inating the IRS.
Quotable: "Extremism in the defense of liberty and truth is not a sin."
Parley Hellewell
Vital statistics: Married; father of four. 46 years old. Born in Burley, Idaho. Lives in Orem.
Education: Earned associate's degree in business management and marketing from Utah Technical College.
Career highlights: Owns and operates three plumbing businesses. Has bought and sold several businesses.
Scouting report: Overplays to the right. Made unsuccessful bid for Congress in 1992. Favors the far right. Fond of political cartoons that poke fun at liberals. Calls himself a "true" conservative. Says the John Birch Society is doing some good things. Authored "A Declaration of Independence" for 3rd District. Wrote a 144-page campaign book to outline plans and principles. Says nation has moved from "Leave it to Beaver" to "Beavis and Butthead." All of country's problems can be traced to Congress. Wants prayer in schools. Favors consumption tax.
Quotable: "We have coveted our neighbors' property and called it taxes."
Jay Liechty
Vital statistics: Married; father of 10. Born in Springville; lives in Provo.
Education: Economics degree from BYU; master's in economics from Stanford; dropped out of UCLA Law School after one year.
Career highlights: LDS Business College accounting professor; certified public accountant in California and Utah.
Scouting report: Served one term on Utah State Board of Education. Former officer in Utah County Republican Party. Endorsed by former Rep. Howard Nielson. Campaign centers on nation's moral and financial ills. Says piecemeal application of separation of church and state causes abuse of religious freedom . . . secular humanism should be recognized as an organized religion. Wrote book titled "America's State Church: Will It Be the Dominant Religion in the 21st Century?" Says Congress needs another CPA. Says flat tax is step in right direction.
Quotable: "Things that should be considered religious viewpoints are not being considered religious viewpoints."
Stephen Sandstrom
Vital statistics: Divorced; remarried; father of two. 32 years old. Born and lives in Orem.
Education: Political science degree from BYU.
Career highlights: Owner of Sandstrom Architects; former commercial and corporate airline pilot.
Scouting report: Youngest candidate in the field. Serves on Orem City Council. Endorsed by 1994 GOP nominee Dixie Thompson . . . she lost badly. Says some candidates in the race have blinders on, narrow agendas. Calls himself a thinking conservative. Says he's committed to the moral and political values of conservatism without being deaf to other political persuasions. Willing to work for compromises. Favors a flat tax now and working toward a consumption tax. Say federal government needs to get off the backs of state and local government. Wants to eliminate the Department of Commerce.
Quotable: "I don't believe the federal government is evil."