Well Rep. Jim Matheson sure started off Campaign 2010 on a positive note - for his challenger Morgan Philpot anyway.  Yesterday, noted "Blue Dog" Matheson voted in lockstep with his more "progressive" counterparts to raise the amount of money this country could go into debt by a whopping 1.9 trillion dollars!

The U.S. House of Representatives voted largely along party lines Thursday to hike the federal government's borrowing limit by $1.9 trillion, enough to enable the Treasury Dept. to pay its bills through the rest of this year, congressional leaders said.
The 217-212 vote was razor-thin, and the exact number required to approve the measure. Thirty-seven Democrats joined all Republicans in opposing the increase.
The move brings the total amount the federal government can borrow to $14.3 trillion, the highest mark by a significant measure.
It comes just six weeks after Congress approved a $290 billion extension to the debt ceiling to $12.4 trillion.

But, but, but...the Dems defenders sputter - we instituted PAYGO to go with it.

The rule, known as "pay-as-you-go" or "Paygo," was in place during the 1990s, the last time there was a federal budget surplus, and Democrats hope that it will spur a return in that direction.
"The passage of statutory Paygo today will help usher out an era of irresponsibility and begin putting the country back on a fiscally sustainable path," President Barack Obama said, in a statement.

Here's the problem with that little delusion kids....if you are TRULY paying as you go there would be no need to go another $1.9 T into debt.  Paying as you go means that you only spend what you bring in, not that you go further in to debt.  By raising the debt limit you are already PLANNING TO SPEND MORE THAN YOU TAKE IN - it is planned failure.

Rep. Matheson's challenger, Republican Morgan Philpot posted this about the vote (on his Facebook page)

Today, Congressman Matheson voted to increase the debt ceiling to $14,294,000,000,000. “Only in Washington would the solution to a skyrocketing national debt be to increase the amount of reckless spending... Matheson claims to be fiscally responsible, but his vote in Congress is only further proof that he is out of... touch with Utah workers and families.” Sara Sendek, RNC Spokeswoman

The great thing about this vote is that without knowing it Rep. Matheson, with one vote handed the Philpot campaign a campaign slogan on a silver platter.  The debt burden that the government has handed our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren is a cause of concern for all BUT the far left.  This issue alone will be a large portion of the coming campaign.

Rep. Matheson is probably not vulnerable yet, BUT with a disgruntled base looking to force him further to the left, votes like this are certainly going to make life much, much easier for the Philpot campaign.