Staffers in Rep. Chris Cannon's Washington office received hundreds of sympathy messages on Wednesday. National publications ran his photo as if it was an obituary. One of his Utah colleagues even referred to him in the past tense.
Cannon took to KSL Radio in the morning to tamp down premature reports of his demise.
"I got up this morning to e-mails of condolence, like someone had died, ya know," Cannon said. "I think somebody missed the message."
Cannon lives, for the record, and says he is committed to working hard in his remaining months in office and to helping elect Republicans. But the message from the six-term congressman's primary loss to challenger Jason Chaffetz struck hard in Washington where members already fear they too may face an angry mob of voters in November - or dispirited Republicans could just stay home.
"The Utah primary confirms what we've been saying all along, which is that no incumbent is truly safe in this environment," says Ken Spain, the press secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
With gas prices soaring, immigration issues unsolved and crushing federal deficits looming, voters are giving Congress some of the lowest approval ratings ever. Cannon is the third incumbent - and the second Republican - this year to get the boot.
Maryland Reps. Wayne Gilchrest, a Republican, and Al Wynn, a Democrat, lost in February battles for their parties' nominations. Some pundits predict a Democratic wave may wash out more incumbent Republicans in November.
"I think the Republicans are in for a tough ride anyway, and I think the ennui that is being felt here in Utah is going on around the country," Cannon said in an interview on Wednesday. "This is a plague nationwide."
http://origin.sltrib.com/ci_9697237
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