Son of ex-Rep. running for Matheson’s seat

The son of former Rep. Wayne Owens (D-Utah) has decided to run for retiring Rep. Jim Matheson’s (D-Utah) seat, giving Democrats an outside chance of seriously contesting the race.

Environmental attorney Doug Owens (D) will run for Matheson’s seat in a heavily Republican district, he tells UtahPolicy.com. 

{mosads}The younger Owens painted himself as a centrist, something any Democrat must do in a district that gave Mitt Romney 67 percent of its vote in 2012. Matheson’s district is the most Republican-leaning of any House Democrats currently hold.

Owens called ObamaCare an “unholy mess” but said it should be fixed rather than repealed.

“Instead of arguing about it, let’s define the problems and get to fixing them,” he said.

Owens also said he supported civil unions for same-sex couples but not marriage.

Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love (R), who narrowly lost to Matheson in 2012, is the Republican front-runner for the seat. With Matheson retiring, few Democrats think they can win in the district.

Owens’s father served two stints in Congress, finishing his service nearly two decades ago, and Utah is one of the youngest states in the nation, making it unlikely that many voters remember the senior Owens.