Republican legislators in the Utah Senate and House picked two lawyers with a total of 26 years of legislative experience to lead them over the next two years.
Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, is the new Senate president. Rep. Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, is the new speaker of the House.
Come January, they will join Utah's new governor, Republican Jon Huntsman Jr., in overseeing the passing of hundreds of bills and adopting a $7 billion state budget.
It's the first time anyone can remember that two attorneys have headed the 29-member Senate and the 75-member House. President and speaker are officially part-time jobs, but in recent years the men holding the positions put in long hours on Capitol Hill.
House Democrats also elected new leaders Tuesday night. Rep. Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake, won back the minority leader post he lost two years ago.
Senate Democrats elect their leaders Wednesday. Democrats hold less than one-third minorities in both bodies, and the GOP House and Senate caucuses set the legislative priorities in Utah.
Valentine has coveted a top leadership post for years. He held various important jobs in the House when he served there, but never speaker. Upon being congratulated Tuesday night by long-time House Clerk Carole Peterson, Valentine beamed and said: "Mom, I finally made it."
Curtis' victory is extra sweet for him — and perhaps scandal-cleansing.
Just five months ago, Curtis resigned his post as embattled Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman's legal counsel while her office reeled over various allegations of improprieties. Curtis had paid back to state government gasoline mileage he'd taken for the 2004, 45-day general session after admitting he'd driven his Salt Lake County vehicle (gassed up with a county credit card) to and from Capitol Hill.
He said the apparent double-dipping was an oversight, and he was never charged with any wrongdoing.
But some believed the incident — coupled with Workman's ultimate political downfall — would haunt him in his speakership race, which he'd been eyeing for months. In the end, however, Curtis prevailed.
Curtis defeated Rep. Dave Ure, R-Kamas; Valentine beat out Rep. Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville. Both Curtis and Valentine said their challengers would get meaningful appointed posts in their new administrations, but no jobs were offered immediately.
Curtis, 44, is joined by other newly elected House GOP leaders: Reps. Jeff Alexander, R-Provo, majority leader; Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, majority whip; and Ben Ferry, R-Corinne, assistant majority whip.
Valentine, 55, is joined by other GOP leaders: Sens. Peter Knudson, R-Brigham City, majority leader; Dan Eastman, R-Bountiful, majority whip; and Beverly Ann Evans, R-Altamont, assistant majority whip.
Geographically speaking, the new Republican leaders' districts stretch across the state, from Corinne in the north to Altamont in the east and St. George in the south.
Neither Valentine nor Curtis, in running for their top offices, pledged to serve only one two-year term as president or speaker. That opens the way for multiple-term presiding officers again. Retiring House speaker Marty Stephens, R-Farr West, served a record-setting six years as speaker. Retiring Senate president Al Mansell, R-Sandy, served four years in his top post.
Both Valentine and Curtis, in separate press conferences, said they were honored by their Republican colleagues and would work hard with Huntsman for the benefit of all Utahns.
"We must continue the fiscal responsibility" in setting Utah's budget during tight economic times, said Curtis.
"We have major challenges," said Valentine: "Transportation, public education, tax reform, higher education and corrections — all of which are important to Utah citizens."
At least Curtis and Valentine won't have to slash budgets, as legislators and former Gov. Mike Leavitt had to do in 2000 and 2001. Utah's economy is rebounding and recent state Tax Commission estimates show the state running a nearly $60 million surplus for the current budget year.
Knudson, known for his kindly sense of humor, noted that Huntsman, new to state government, will have a big learning curve.
"He'll need a lot of education and we'll help any way we can," Knudson said.
Curtis, a 1987 graduate of the University of Utah law school, is now in private practice. Before becoming Workman's legal counsel, he worked as city prosecutor for West Jordan.
Valentine, a Brigham Young University law school graduate, is a tax attorney; now the managing partner in the Provo firm of Howard, Lewis & Petersen.
E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com