austin texas former gun industry lobbyist budget-hawk republicans lead might seem unlikely hard-right campaign try sway conservatives place like utah kansas first republican-held state four decades ban death penalty push political advocacy group conservatives concern death penalty lawmakers place nebraska would unthinkable years ago would conservative heresy end capital punishment program see bedrock issue law-and-order policies embrace party lead campaign say death penalty costly inefficient heavily bureaucratic program run counter core conservative value limit government issue bleed heart liberals issue pragmatic conservatives get board say marc hyden coordinator conservatives concern death penalty network political social conservatives say capital punishment align value republican support death penalty remain strong 76 percent 2014 number 85 percent 1994 accord gallup conservative push death penalty early phase lead lawmakers nebraska last year first republican-dominated state 40 years approve execution ban measure need approval voters november take effect march lawmakers red-state utah come close pass similar ban bipartisan issue anyone get board say hyden serve campaign field representative national rifle association death penalty legal 31 u.s. state executions decline years part due court battle scramble secure execution drug sales ban years ago impose mostly european manufacturers say immoral products use kill inmates hyden group expand efforts kentucky missouri montana nebraska north carolina washington build bipartisan support legislatures rancor party stymie score bill despite momentum conservative lawmakers gain support among public republican-controlled state may hurdle high death penalty repeal bill missouri execute 86 people since u.s. supreme court reinstate capital punishment 1976 place year informal calendar wasteland legislation without vote pass red-state utah nine men death row republican-led bill end death penalty clear senate house committee die without obtain vote likely come session next year utah state senator steve urquhart republican say supporters among senate colleagues highlight capital punishment high cost lengthy appeal exonerations state underline fallibility death penalty make absolutely sense 2016 say interview cost awful lot money execute prisoner compare hold prisoner jail rest life state study find utah pay 1.7 million fund items appeal public defenders carry executions death penalty convictions would incarcerate inmate life advocate capital punishment balk idea expense factor decide punishment grave crimes death penalty utilitarian issue term weigh cost benefit rather issue simply justice deserve say robert blecker professor new york law school six state nebraska abolish death penalty since 2007 left-leaning left-center maryland connecticut illinois new mexico new jersey new york conservatives push nearly unthinkable death penalty ban