Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, is neither a liberal nor a conservative, but is a centrist, according to a new vote study by the National Journal. It puts him at almost the dead center ideologically of the last Congress. The other Utah members of Congress, all Republicans, all placed in the conservative right wing.
The National Journal (a news service that covers Congress) rated members on numerous votes in 2008, and gave them a score of 0 to 100. The closer the score is to 50, the closer a member was to the center of Congress.
Matheson's score showed that he was more liberal than 48.5 percent of House members last year and more conservative than 51.5 percent. Only seven of the 435 House members were closer to the center than Matheson.
"It doesn't surprise me," Matheson said, noting that the center can move from year to year as either more liberals or conservatives are elected. But he said he feels like he is in the middle, which can put him in a position of power as people from both sides may seek his support to help put their issues over the top.
"Members of both parties know I am actually someone who's going to try to think through where I am on a specific issue based on its merits, and I'm not driven by some ideology. I'm just looking for the right thing to do," he said.
Matheson adds that moderate ideology has played well with Utah voters, who have elected Republicans in almost every other major office in the state. "I'm doing exactly what I told people I'd do all along. I'm looking for good ideas wherever they come from. I don't care which party offers it."
Former Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, had a score showing he was more conservative than 93.7 percent of House members, the most conservative score of any Utah member of Congress. But ironically, voters dumped him for new Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, who campaigned even further to the right than Cannon.
Among the other Utah GOP members, Rep. Rob Bishop's score showed he was more conservative than 90.3 percent of House members; Sen. Orrin Hatch's score showed he was more conservative than 74.8 percent of senators; and Sen. Bob Bennett was more conservative than 65.8 percent of senators.
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