Former Rep. Orton (D-Utah) dead at 60 in ATV accident

[babylonsister]

http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/04/18/former-rep-orton-dead-at-60-in-atv-accident/

Former Rep. Orton dead at 60 in ATV accident
@ 11:36 pm by Michael O'Brien


Former Rep. Bill Orton (D-Utah) died Saturday after suffering injuries in an ATV accident.

A three-term congressman from Utah's 3rd congressional district, Orton served in Congress from 1991 to 1997 before suffering a defeat to Republican Chris Cannon.

Orton, one of the few Democrats to hold onto a Republican seat during the GOP surge in the 1990s, also unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Gov. Mike Leavitt in 2000.

"He was riding out on the sand and went off a very steep sand dune and when he impacted the bottom the front end of the four wheeler flipped on top of him, injuring him," Sheriff Alden Orme told the Deseret News. "He was alone at the time of the accident. Another ATV rider passed by a short time later and found him."

"He was too young," said Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R), who represents Orton's former seat in Congress. "His family should be proud of his public service."

[tularetom]

1. When you buy one of those things your IQ goes down 30 points

Unless you are using it in your job like a farmer or construction.

Once or twice a year I have to chase some assholes on ATV's out of our creek bed here before something like this happens and we get sued.

[CreekDog]

2. Bill Orton-D snagged the most Republican seat in the US back in 1990

He absolutely crushed the Republican that year (I was living there at that time). Right before the election, the Republican took out a full page ad in the Provo Daily Herald touting his family values and his family and included a picture of his family, right below he posted a picture of what he called "Bill Orton's family" (Orton was a bachelor then so it was a portrait of him alone.

So the Republican mocked him and got clobbered a few days later. It was something to see.

Orton was a really decent man. He nominated a friend of mine to go to West Point and in the process met with him and came off as one of the most sincere, friendly guys you could meet.

Orton also managed 42% against incumbent and popular governor Mike Leavitt, which was more than almost any Democrat, aside from Salt Lake's Jim Matheson, could muster. And Orton did it with about $40,000 in campaign money.

This is a really sad loss. Orton wasn't even terribly conservative considering his district and he managed to get reelected in 1992 and 1994.

:cry:

[Are_grits_groceries]

3. Where was Cheney or his crew? nt