As he prepares for Thursday night's 11th annual spring fund-raising gala, Gov. Mike Leavitt looks like a man preparing to run for another four-year term.
Even his own lieutenant governor, Olene Walker, surmises he may run for a record-setting 16 years in office, in part because he still has work to do, in part because there are no better opportunities awaiting.
But why stop there?
With the Legislature repealing the current 12-year term limit law this past session, the road ahead is open for the 52-year-old popular Republican governor, who would only be 57 if he ran for a fifth term in 2008.
There are a number of signs that Leavitt is preparing for another campaign next year. At the very least, he's laying groundwork to move money around to different committees should he opt out of the race:
Leavitt has opened a Federal Election Commission account: the Mike Leavitt Exploratory Committee, to be fueled by some of this week's gala proceeds.
He's in the process of setting up a new state political action committee: the Ed Tech Priority PAC.
As reported previously, Leavitt has re-established a state campaign account that would be used for any state political campaign.
The governor remains officially mum on his political future. His third four-year term expires at the end of December 2004. He has said he's considering his options and will make an announcement in late summer or early fall.
"I think he's going to run," says one Leavitt-watcher, who said he's urged the governor to make an announcement sooner rather than later.
But Leavitt could also be chumming the fund-raising waters, sending out enough signals to ensure a good cash turnout Thursday. By his spring 2004 gala, people will know if he's retiring or campaigning. And if he's retiring, raising money then for any number of pet projects will likely be more difficult.
Walker, 72, said she'll decide her political future after Leavitt makes his decision public.
While Walker is a close confidant who has campaigned three times alongside Leavitt, she insists she has no idea if he will seek a fourth term.
"He hasn't told me. I really don't know," she said.
But, she added, there are still many of Leavitt's projects that haven't been completed. She recited his passion for finishing what he starts, and she has a hunch a fourth term could be in the works.
"He has done a good job, and things (like the economy and tax receipts) are getting better," she said. "Maybe he should run again."
Leavitt spokeswoman Natalie Gochnour said Leavitt's opening of a federal account was done for several reasons.
"There is more flexibility about what he can do with that money," she said. "It preserves a federal (campaign) option."
On the Spring Gala tickets, Leavitt asks that corporate donation checks go to his Spring Gala account, which in turn feeds his long-standing state PAC, the Governor's Special Projects Committee.
But for individual donations of $2,000 or less, he asks that checks be made out to the new FEC exploratory committee.
"By far most of the ticket sales for the gala come from corporations," said Gochnour.
As usual, the gala is expected to bring in around $400,000 with 1,600 guests attending the large party in the Salt Palace Convention Center.
Whatever "small amount" goes into the FEC account can be moved over to state campaign accounts or into Leavitt PACs later, Gochnour said.
Walker said she does not see Leavitt campaigning for federal office.
"His enthusiasm for Washington has waned recently," she said. "I think a Senate seat would appeal to him, but that's not an option (with Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, saying he's running for re-election in 2004 and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, not facing re-election until 2006.)
"I know being a congressman (a U.S. House member) would not appeal to him. That does not leave a lot of options," Walker said.
Of course, Leavitt may want to join a second administration of President Bush, who became a friend of Leavitt's when Bush served as Texas governor. Several years ago, the two visited Israel, where Leavitt said they shared a spiritual moment while viewing ancient biblical sites.
But Bush has to win re-election first in 2004 before he could appoint Leavitt to an administrative post. And Leavitt, like he did in his 2000 re-election, would likely have to promise in any 2004 re-election campaign not to resign the governorship to take a Bush appointment.
The new Ed Tech PAC papers will be filed soon, Gochnour said. Run again or not, Leavitt plans to put some fund-raising money into that state PAC, which in turn will be used to fund legislative campaigns of candidates "who share his vision" of education being enhanced by technology, she said.
Walker said going back to the Leavitt family insurance business really isn't an option for the governor. He ran the firm before his 1992 election, but younger brother Dane has been the top executive since.
Asked about the Oquirrh Institute — the nonprofit think tank Leavitt formed at the end of the 2002 Winter Games — the governor would "get bored" running that, Walker said.
The institute has lofty goals, studying various problems facing the West and America, including Leavitt's pet environmental problem-solving program called Enlibra.
Leavitt previously told the Deseret News that when he finally leaves public service he'll sit on the institute's board, as he does now, but won't take a salary from it.
"So what does that leave?" asks Walker. "A fourth term as governor? Who knows?"
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