DAVIS COUNTY — The Republican Party was sent reeling after the shocking news that Sen. Majority Leader, Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse, resigned his post last weekend. Killpack, noted by many as a political “rising star,” resigned as majority leader, and from the Senate, after being arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence.

“This is the news of the century,” said Shirley Bouwhuis, chair of the Davis County Republican Party. “This is not anything I wanted to hear. Sheldon was a great senator and a good friend. I have sympathy for him and for his family.”

Bouwhuis said the party has already called for a special meeting on Saturday, Jan. 23, at Syracuse Arts Academy, 1700 S. 3000 W., Syracuse, to nominate a replacement. “The process will be the same as it was when we filled the seat vacated by Sen. (Greg) Bell,” she said.

The party will accept applications until Friday, Jan. 22 at 5 p.m.

Reps. Curt Oda, Paul Ray, former Layton mayor, Jerry Stevenson, and small business owner, Jory R. Francis, have all thrown their hat into the ring for the open seat.

“Sheldon did a great job,” said Ray. “I had never thought about leaving the House until now. There are a lot less members in the Senate. Someone needs to step right in. Someone who knows how the process works.”

Ray said he brings a great deal of experience to the table, since he already chairs the Health and Human Services Committee, and is familiar with issues facing the Legislature.

“I can go in where everything has been left off,” he said. “We’re looking at budget cuts and the impact the national health care (reform) would have on our state. We need someone who understands how it works at that level. I could help the state figure out one way or another how to deal with the budget if it (health care) passes.”

Ray believes the Legislature can move beyond this incident. “Sheldon handled this with the utmost dignity,” he said. “We should be able to move forward and not have this cast a shadow over the session. We have to go to work.”

Oda said he could accomplish a bit more in the Senate since he would be representing three times the number of people he currently represents in the House.

“I’m not coming in there with a specific agenda,” he said. “I want to make sure things get done on a good, conservative basis. I’m always concerned about the key areas, public safety and transportation. I want to be there to help protect the proper roles of government.”

Oda would also like to continue projects Killpack started with Falcon Hill and MIDA.

Stevenson also has experience with MIDA, and statewide with Envision Utah.

“I understand how to lobby and how to be lobbied,” he said. “I think there would be a fairly short learning curve. The time I was in the city, I worked a lot of transportation issues. I worked with UTA on the commuter rail system and was involved with the political side of that. I bring a pretty good list of credentials to the table.”

Francis, owner and president of Yusef Manufacturing Laboratories, plans to work on economic recovery in the Legislature based on knowledge he has gained through starting his business.

“We began with no outside funding whatsoever,” he said. “I started a business the old fashioned way, with money I saved. I believe in a streamlined government, holding the line on taxes and limiting them whenever possible.”

Killpack had been in the Senate since 2003. He was known for his tough stance on DUI laws and co-chaired the Senate Ethics Committee.

“He probably could have stayed in,” said Bouwhuis. “But everything he did would have been scrutinized. He told me he couldn’t do it to the state, his constituents or his fellow legislators. It took courage to do what he did.”

Bouwhuis said everyone makes mistakes, but they don’t usually have to deal with it on TV or in the newspaper. “It goes with the territory,” she said. “Until that moment in time when he made a stupid mistake, he’d served his state well.”

bginos@davisclipper.com