For once, a Democrat will replace a Republican in Utah's hierarchy.
And, in this case, the Democrat is a social drinker and non-Mormon, attributes that might be of little consequence everywhere but on Utah's liquor commission, where there is a perception among some that church and state are one and the same.
On Wednesday, Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt nominated Mary Ann Mantes, a model and former school teacher, to replace outgoing liquor commissioner Vickie McCall, who left the board to run for the 1st District congressional seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Jim Hansen.
"The governor showed some courage in appointing a Democrat and he didn't have to," said Utah Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission Chairman Nicholas Hales. "It shows he really does care about getting some balance."
Utah's Senate must endorse Leavitt's choice before the appointment becomes official, but there are no expectations that Mantes will be rejected; her husband, George, and father-in-law are former senators.
"She's a great choice," said Senate Minority Whip Ron Allen, D-Stansbury Park.
If approved, she will join four non-drinking Mormon men, three of them attorneys, on a board that regulates wholesale and retail alcohol sales, wineries, breweries, advertising, licensing, enforcement and discipline -- in short, everything about booze in a state where 70 percent of the residents are at least nominal members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which encourages members not to drink.
It's a sobering thought for anyone, let alone a Greek Orthodox woman from Denver.
"Actually, it might be kind of interesting," she said. "I thought I might bring some common sense and, perhaps, if they like me on the commission, maybe they can see that it's not an evil thing to drink. You can drink and still have family values, I know that."
Mantes recently moved to Salt Lake City from Tooele. She is a former member of the Tooele County Chamber of Commerce, State Library Board, Applied Technology Board and the 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission.
She is poised to join a commission that has recently suffered a historic defeat at the hands of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Salt Lake City attorney Brian Barnard, who successfully challenged the state's liquor advertising laws.
In the next year, the ABC Commission faces the daunting task of negotiating the ongoing fight over liquor advertising, rules the LDS Church says should be more restrictive, not less.
Mantes expects the commission will be a voice of reason during the ongoing debate.
"The people I know on [the commission] are pretty levelheaded and pretty open-minded," she said.
"With the success of the Olympics, perhaps this is the time to implement some new things."