From Deseret News:

A not-so-subtle message is being sent by GOP Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Republican legislative leaders these days: “We will be pushing the political/candidate agenda in this state, thank you very much.”

The more moderate Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and aging U.S. Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett (both 74) can just step aside. State Sens. John Valentine and Curt Bramble; House Speaker Greg Curtis and other GOP legislative leaders and Shurtleff will take it from here.

Examples?

• In 2007, GOP legislative leaders pick Micron lobbyist Stan Lockhart (who has given around $60,000 in Jazz tickets to lawmakers over the years, is a close personal friend of Bramble’s and husband to state Rep. Becky Lockhart, R-Provo) to be chairman of the Utah Republican Party. Huntsman looked around for a bit, but not finding anyone he liked to be party chair on his own, gave the nod to Valentine et al. to make the pick.

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