It was old ground but new ground for David Harmer as he passed through Utah in a campaign blitz on Friday.
Harmer is a Republican running for the U.S. Congress in northern California's 11th Congressional District, where he is challenging two-term Democratic incumbent Jerry McNerney.
All of which begs the obvious question: What is a California politician doing in Utah 10 weeks before Election Day?
Raising money, naturally.
Harmer was the specially invited guest at a fundraiser, held at a private home in Deer Valley, that was arranged by the National Republican Congressional Committee.
To regain control of Congress — and oust House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — the Republicans need to gain 39 seats in October. Harmer is one of 40 Republican congressional hopefuls around the country the NRCC has designated as "Young Guns" — candidates they believe have the best chance of upsetting Democratic incumbents.
Harmer flew into Salt Lake, made the trip to Deer Valley and later spent the night at his parents' home in Bountiful before jetting back Saturday morning to his campaign headquarters in San Ramon.
He didn't need directions to get around. Although he was born and raised in California, Harmer knows Utah. It was here that he went to college — he got a bachelor's degree and a law degree at Brigham Young University. It was here that he met his wife, Elayne Wells (a proud alumnus of the Deseret News). And it was here that he first ran for Congress.
Harmer was 32 years old when he entered the race in 1996, to fill the 2nd Congressional seat left vacant when Enid Greene Waldholtz — mired in a campaign finance scandal, not to mention marriage problems when it was revealed that her husband, Joe Waldholtz, wasn't the millionaire he said he was — elected not to run for re-election.
Harmer had experience in Washington, D.C. He'd briefly served as Waldholtz's chief of staff in 1995, and before that, he'd worked as legal counsel for Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. He figured he was ready.
But he lost in a crowded '96 primary that saw millionaire Merrill Cook emerge as the Republican choice and in November end his 0-for-6 slump in attempting to win public office.
With the wisdom of another 16 years under his belt, Harmer looks back on that brief first pursuit for the U.S. Capitol and says, "That run was impetuous and premature, and I think the voters were prudent to send some grown-ups to represent them."
But now, even if he is a designated "Young Gun," he's the grown-up.
And not only that: He's running on his home turf, where the Harmer name is part of a pedigree as royal as California political pedigrees get.
John Harmer, David's father, was California's lieutenant governor when Ronald Reagan was governor.
David grew up immersed in California politics, by osmosis if nothing else. He was six years old when he first met Reagan and was offered to stick his hand in the governor's jellybean jar.
Harmer credits his father for putting politics in his veins. "I think it's natural for any kid to admire his dad and what to follow where he's been," he says.
And he credits Ronald Reagan for putting passion in his politics. "I love my dad, and I loved the governor, too," he says. "I do think there was a little magic passed on from Governor Reagan."
A big part of Harmer's campaign is rallying Republicans to remember the Reagan mantra of individual sovereignty and limiting the scope and power of government.
Current polls show Harmer 7 to 9 percent behind McNerney, but he remains confident.
"If an incumbent can't hit 50 percent, he's going to lose," he says. "Everybody's heard of him; he's been their representative for four years. They haven't heard of me. We won a primary, but we haven't done anything since. We haven't spent a penny yet (on media). After Labor Day, we'll be in their mailbox, on the radio and TV."
Friday night, in a state where 16 years ago, he got his first taste of campaigning, Harmer spoke to fellow Republicans in an effort to help pay those bills.
If they loved Reagan as much as he does, he probably fared pretty well.
Lee Benson's column runs Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com.