Daily Herald, May 22, 2010
Joe Pyrah

The temperature of Utah's political climate has climbed into the boiling range, what with Sen. Bob Bennett being ousted on the right and Rep. Jim Matheson facing a stiff challenge on the left.

In the middle are Utah County Democrats.

The party is recognizing former Republican Gov. Olene Walker tonight with its Distinguished Service Award. County Democrats came up with Walker's name during a brainstorming session.

"The first reaction was 'She probably wouldn't come and accept it,' " said Chairman Richard Davis.

But Walker did accept, he said, giving them a chance to award "someone who we felt had not gotten enough recognition."

Walker became Utah's 15th governor after Mike Leavitt was nominated to head the EPA under President George W. Bush. But she failed to even make the primary ballot after losing in the 2004 GOP convention to Nolan Karras and Jon Huntsman Jr.

The Democrats' website announcing the award is to the point.

"During her tenure as governor, Olene Walker tried to do what was right for the state of Utah even if it didn't please the extremist Republican activists," it reads.

Walker isn't the only Republican woman to be embraced by the left. Gubernatorial candidate Peter Corroon has chosen Rep. Sheryl Allen, R-Bountiful, as his running mate against Gov. Gary Herbert and Lt. Gov. Greg Bell.