Businesslike Ashdown says 'the little guy' comes first
2006-10-31
Source: Deseret News
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rss feedBlue letters painted on the back of Senate candidate Pete Ashdown's campaign bus read "This Motor Home Was New In '76." It's a not-so-subtle message that something 30 years old may need to be replaced - such as Sen. Orrin Hatch, for instance.
Replacing Hatch is exactly what Ashdown hopes to do. Hatch was elected to his first term in the Senate in 1976.
Ashdown, 39, is president of XMission, an independent Internet service provider in Utah. He wants to bring his technological expertise to the Senate and use his business approach to begin making changes in Washington.
Much has changed in the past 30 years and Ashdown wants to use technology already available to make the government more open, accountable and - most important to Ashdown - accessible.
"When I win this race, all eyes will be on Utah," Ashdown said.
Time and money are big factors in any campaign, especially one against a 30-year Senate incumbent with a $2.8 million campaign fund. Ashdown said the fact he was in a position to run, while many people are not, motivated him to challenge Hatch.
"I run for all the people who want to but can't and run against those who are but shouldn't," Ashdown said.
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