Matheson succeeded Democrat Calvin L. Rampton, who had been Utah's first three-term governor, holding office from 1965 to 1977. It was Matheson's first elective office, although he had long been active in Democratic party affairs. Rampton probably could have been elected to a fourth term, but instead decided to return to his law practice and handpicked Matheson as his successor. A popular governor, in 1980 Matheson was elected to a second term, defeating Republican lawyer Robert Wright. Though he probably could have been elected to a third term, he did not run in 1984 and instead went into private law practice in Salt Lake City.