Jon Huntsman Jr. looked a little dazed Tuesday night as he hurried into a room of cheering Republicans, eager to hear his first speech as the state's governor-elect.
"Jubilant," he answered when a group of reporters asked him how he felt after beating Democrat Scott Matheson Jr. "Honored and humbled. And a little scared." He promised his supporters he would "give it his all" as the "next governor of the greatest state in America."
Shortly after his victory speech at the Hilton Hotel downtown, Huntsman greeted Matheson in the hotel lobby with a hug. Matheson said in an interview he was disappointed but proud of a campaign considered one of the least contentious in Utah history.
Huntsman credited hard work for his decisive victory and his "intense focus on a message that I think was a very important one for the state" — economic development. He, too, expressed pride in running a "high-road, hopeful, optimistic, issues-oriented" campaign.
Now, Huntsman said, he's "going to put together a team that is next to none" to run the state. "We're going to listen carefully . . . for ideas that will make us a better, more effective state."
This was billed as the battle between the juniors — Huntsman, the son of a billionaire philanthropist, and Matheson, whose late father left office 20 years ago as the state's last Democratic governor.
Jon Huntsman Sr. was emotional Tuesday night as he stood with his son. "He's going to be a great leader," the elder Huntsman said, adding he and his wife, Karen, "are deeply honored the people of Utah would have the confidence, hope and love in a son we love so very dearly."
Huntsman, an executive in the family business, served in three presidential administrations, including as the U.S. ambassador to Singapore. Matheson, a Rhodes Scholar, was U.S. attorney for Utah and is dean of the University of Utah law school.
Their race will be remembered as one of the most congenial in Utah history. Both candidates pledged early to remain positive no matter what, and they often complimented each other on the campaign trail.
Huntsman focused on economic development throughout the campaign, pledging to change the name on his office door from governor to economic development czar if elected. Matheson made education his top priority.
Few differences between the two men surfaced, even during their eight debates. Sometimes it was hard to tell them apart, with Huntsman touting how economic development would improve education; and Matheson, how better schools would attract new business.
They did disagree on Amendment 3, even though both said they favored defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Matheson, though, opposed the amendment because of the expected legal fight over language restricting the rights of relationships other than marriage.
In the last week of the campaign, Matheson tried to highlight other differences by launching what the Huntsman camp described as a "mild attack ad" about its candidate's support of tuition tax credits and a proposal to move the state prison from Draper to Tooele.
Despite raising some $2 million, Matheson still faced a double-digit lead by Huntsman in the polls leading up to Election Day. Huntsman, who was expected to spend almost twice as much money, was up by 16 points in the final Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll before the vote.
Huntsman had to get through the state GOP convention and win a primary fight with former Utah House Speaker Nolan Karras before becoming the party's nominee. Matheson had no Democratic challengers.
Democrats had long sought Matheson as a candidate, hoping to capitalize on the reputation of his popular father, but he only seriously considered running once before, for the U.S. Senate in 1991 for a seat that was opening up with the retirement of then-Sen. Jake Garn.
He finally followed his brother, Rep. Jim Matheson, into politics, but the brothers have kept their distance throughout the campaign. Jim Matheson struggled to hang onto his seat in Congress from an increasingly Republican 2nd District.
Huntsman had long been discussed as a likely gubernatorial candidate, even though there was no shortage of GOP contenders, including Gov. Olene Walker, the first female to hold the office.
Walker became governor last year when former Gov. Mike Leavitt was named head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Leavitt had served 11 years as the state's chief executive, almost three full terms.
The transition to a new administration will be "as smooth and seamless as possible," Walker said Tuesday night. She said Huntsman would be welcome at her office's budget discussions later this week.
"I think I was in the hunt," Walker said of her own short-lived campaign to stay in office. "Maybe it will make it easier for women to run for governor in the future."
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