In a state which has not voted for a Democrat for governor since 1980, a senator since 1970 and for president since 1964, Utah is arguably one of the most Republican states in the country.

With the exception of a token Democrat in Congress over the years, Republican races dominate the political landscape. The main theme with Republicans tends to be how many big names will run in the few election races available in a state that does not have much turnover.

So when the buzz began that three-term incumbent Sen. Robert F. Bennett might be challenged for his seat in the Republican convention by state Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, it reminded people of how unusual the state’s Republican Party election process is and how it is the ultimate system for party activists.

Shurtleff told CQ Politics Thursday that he is “definitely considering” running against Bennett in 2010 but will not decide until around May 1.

Shurtleff is a popular figure in Utah having been re-elected in 2008 for a third term with 69 percent.

There were some recent media reports which had him making a decision by the end of March but he said that he has a regularly scheduled state fundraiser in connection with Law Day on May 1 and he did not want to mix signals between the state and federal races.

He is thinking about running because “in a time of great crisis for our economy, it’s time for a change on how Congress spends money.”

Shurtleff blames both parties for the spending problem but notes that one of the consistencies over the years has been that Washington has had the same senators.

He said he has done substantial polling of both Republican delegates and primary voters and they have told him that the economy, the financial bailout package, the stimulus law and earmarks are “huge issues in the state.”

Under Utah’s unique system for culling candidate fields, balloting will be held at the Republican state convention in May 2010, with the last-place finisher on each ballot eliminated until there are two competitors left. If one candidate should receive 60 percent of the delegate votes on any ballot, he or she would be deemed nominated and there would be no primary contest. If that should not occur, a primary between the two finalist candidates would ensue with the top vote-getter being the primary winner.

Bennett has only been challenged once in a primary, in his initial run for the Senate in 1992 when he beat out Joe Cannon, brother of former congressman Chris Cannon (1997-2009), 51 percent to 49 percent.

He has received criticism from conservatives when he was seen as heavily involved in the process creating a $700 billion financial industry bailout fund last year. He also was a strong supporter of President George W. Bush even as the former president’s approval ratings took a hit. Conservatives became increasingly frustrated with Bush because of his deficit-creating budgets that Bennett voted for.

Shurtleff said that in his polling there are people who believe the bailout was “not only fiscally irresponsible but immoral.”