Libertarian Throws Support to Demo Rival
BY DAN HARRIE
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
Kitty Burton, the Libertarian candidate in Utah's 3rd Congressional District, is urging her supporters to skip her name on the ballot and vote instead for Democrat Nancy Jane Woodside.
The unusual move is meant as a protest to what Burton claims is Republican Rep. Chris Cannon's manipulative dodging of campaign debates.
"I am throwing my support to Nancy Woodside just to spite Mr. Cannon," Burton said Wednesday.
She charged Cannon has been using her absence or exclusion from debates as an excuse to avoid them altogether.
"I know when I'm being used," said Burton. "And Libertarians will not be used as a political football."
Burton first announced her endorsement of Woodside in a statement read by an ally during a debate Tuesday night before the Provo-Orem Chamber of Commerce. Woodside was the only candidate to show up at the event, as Cannon and Burton both sent surrogates.
Woodside quickly embraced the support from the ultra-conservative side of the political spectrum.
"I'll take every 2 or 3 percent I can get," she said.
Last election, Burton received 3,570 votes in the 3rd District, or 2 percent. In 1998, when no Democrat was fielded against Cannon, she captured 9,553 votes, or 7 percent.
Woodside said Cannon's ploy of skipping debates by claiming to be defending the Libertarian was "patently obvious."
"He's sitting on a lead and he's a Republican and he's very arrogant about it," said Woodside. "I think he ought to be held accountable."
Scott Wares, campaign manager for Cannon, said it is "silly" to claim he is conducting a complicated charade to avoid debates. "It's Woodside trying to make something out of nothing."
Wares denied that Cannon has been switching dates of debates only to cancel them on a whim.
"His first job is being a husband and father. His second is a congressman, and a distant third is the campaign," said Wares. "He's not going to skip a vote in Washington for 30 people at a chamber of commerce -- it just isn't appropriate."
Burton's endorsement was a surprise to Utah Libertarian Party Chairman Cabot Nelson.
"I am kind of upset -- well, not upset, but let down," he said.
In fact, earlier this week Nelson contacted the Cannon campaign to applaud the three-term incumbent for refusing to debate Woodside on KUTV's "Take Two" program Sunday because it excluded Burton.
"I called to tell him, 'Thank you very much for looking out for us,' " said Nelson. He said he was unaware at the time that Burton believes Cannon was simply using her as an excuse to avoid debates.
Nelson said he talked to Cannon Wednesday and the congressman denied playing games. "He said he feels very strongly that the Libertarian Party has a proper place in politics," said Nelson.
Woodside insisted Cannon's motive is about self-protection, not defending diverse political viewpoints.
When Woodside and Cannon several weeks ago had their one and only debate so far in the campaign, she said, "He got all red and broke a sweat and I haven't seen him since."
Courtesy of Salt Lake Tribune
http://www2.sltrib.com/politics/Main/Story.asp?VOL=10172002&NUM=7751
