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CENTERVILLE - First Congressional District candidate Steve Olsen is doing something politically risky in Utah - risky even for a desperate Democrat in the GOP's safest district.

The 49-year-old Weber County political novice has joined an Iraq War veteran in a high-profile protest of the Bush Administration's conduct of the conflict. Utah remains one of the few states that continue to give Bush high grades on the war.

Army reservist and Logan resident Marshall Thompson, who served two tours of duty in Iraq, is walking the length of the state, hoping Utahns will reconsider their support of what he and Olsen agree is an unjustified, ill-conceived war.

"I've been very proud to associate with Marshall," says Olsen, who joined the veteran on his walk through the district. "He's no kook. His message is one I share and it resonates with Utahns."

Maybe. But anyone who has spent any amount of time in the 1st Congressional District knows military technology and training is the beating heart of northern Utah's economy.

The measure here of politicians is how well they protect Hill Air Force Base and its 24,000 jobs from ever-threatened base closures.

"Hill Air Force Base has always been the dominant political consideration in the 1st District," says Michael Lyons, associate professor of political science at Utah State University in Logan. "It is what [11-term congressman] Jim Hansen emphasized above all else."

Rob Bishop, in his second term, has carried on Hansen's tradition, nurturing the air base, the adjacent Ogden Logistics Center and Dugway Proving Ground in Tooele County.

So it is no surprise that when Bishop counts off his top three accomplishments, the first two are related to Utah's military installations.

Bishop is proud of his part in creating the Cedar Mountain Wilderness Area. Utah's congressional delegation normally could hardly be called wilderness friendly. But the Cedar Mountain area blocks a nuclear waste site in the west desert, which doubles as a test range for Hill-based aircraft. The military doesn't believe rocket-firing, bomb-dropping jets and spent nuclear fuel rods mix well.

"The Air Force would have wanted to avoid that," reducing Hill's value as a base, Bishop says. "Cedar Mountain was a huge deal."

Ensuring the continued use of a bombing range the size of Massachusetts and Connecticut combined paved the way for the decision to base at Hill state-of-the-art F-35 fighters, which are still in development.

"It all goes back to Cedar Mountain," Bishop says.

Bishop also worked hard to negotiate a deal to lengthen a runway at the Army's Dugway Proving Ground to handle jet aircraft.

The third achievement of which Bishop is most proud is a land exchange with the Bureau of Land Management that protected open space in Park City.

Disillusioned Reagan Republican

When making political arguments, Olsen has a disconcerting habit of referencing GOP colossus Ronald Rea�gan. About six years ago, Olsen, a Reagan follower, switched to the Democratic Party, complaining the GOP had betrayed him and his hero.

He believes that Utah conservatives are realizing what the GOP has become under George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

The party of Lincoln and Reagan, he says, is now controlled by special interests and has turned its back on the middle class. "The Republican Party no longer represents the values of most Utahns."

Utah Democratic spokesman Jeff Bell says the party recruited Olsen fully aware of his GOP roots and affection for "The Gipper."

"Steve is heartbroken over what his former party has become," Bell said. "We think he hits a chord with a lot of Utah Republicans."

Olsen and Christian Burridge, who is running against five-term incumbent Chris Cannon in the 3rd District, represent what Bell says is the best hope for his party: the Western Democrat. It's a political hybrid that is progressive on economic issues, but moderate on social issues such as abortion and gay marriage.

"The Western Democrat is an odd character. As we have the shift of population [and political power] to the West, Democrats like this are becoming more prominent," Bell says. "It's important to have guys like Steve who are very common sensical, fiscally responsible and socially moderate. "

Olsen has written a pamphlet that lays out the transformation, titled "Why Most Utahns are Democrats But Just Don't Know it Yet.

But USU's Lyons doesn't hold out much hope for a mass conversion of Utah Republicans to the Democratic fold, no matter how frustrated they are with the Iraq War.

"Utah Republicans are better described as Bush Republicans than Rea�gan Republicans. They value social issues more than fiscal issues," Lyons says. "Yes, people are questioning the Iraq War. Even in Utah. Even in the 1st District. But rather than turning against the Republican Party, what I see is a broader-based disillusionment - turning them against politics and politicians."

A change ahead?

Olsen complains that Bishop ignores Utah's needs and votes in lock step with Beltway Republicans 97 percent of the time.

"That sounds about right," Bishop quips, "because Republicans are right about 97 percent of the time."

Still, Bishop has modified his once staunch support of Bush on Iraq.

Earlier in the campaign, Bishop said he was comfortable with Bush's handling of the war. "Do I have complete confidence? I can't say that. I don't know enough."

But Monday, Bishop said the administration needs to learn the historical lesson of Vietnam War and listen closely to field commanders in finding a solution.

Bishop isn't particularly worried about polls that show Republicans could lose the House.

Even if that happens, he says, "I don't think it's a problem for me. I have a personal relationship with those who would be the leaders and their staffs. On the Cedar Mountain bill I was a Republican who actually sat down with the Democratic staff to work it out."

Steve Olsen

* EMPLOYMENT: Automotive engineer

* AGE: 49

* FAMILY: Wife, Teri, and three children

* EDUCATION: Weber State University, mathematics.

* FACTOID: Son Chris is an officer on ballistic missile submarine U.S.S. Maine.

Issues

* IMMIGRATION: Modernize border security, reduce paperwork for legitimate immigrants and help Latin American countries address the root causes of illegal immigration. Enforce laws against employers who exploit undocumented workers.

* IRAQ WAR: Bring together a bipartisan group of experts, military and civilian, charged to find a solution that protects the interests and security of the United States and Iraq.

* ENERGY: Begin a massive national program to develop alternative energy sources, including conservation, nuclear fusion research, solar and wind power, fuel cells and coal gasification.

Rob Bishop

* EMPLOYMENT: U.S. congressman

* AGE: 55

* FAMILY: Wife Jeralynn and five children

* EDUCATION: University of Utah, political science.

* FACTOID: Former high school teacher and Utah legislator.

Issues

* IMMIGRATION: First, secure our borders. Then deal with undocumented workers. Congress should proceed with caution on punitive measures against businesses that employ illegal workers.

* ENERGY: Alternative energy sources, including nuclear power, are needed for national energy independence. Supports recycling nuclear fuel rods, but basing a reprocessing plant in Utah would be a state decision.

* HILL AIR FORCE BASE: Although the base is more secure from cutbacks, a Democratic takeover of Congress could stop the F-35 fighter program, "which would be a disaster to the country and Utah."