 She served in the Utah Legislature two years before announcing that she would run to succeed the four-term Democratic incumbent, U.S. Representative Wayne Owens for his seat, after he announced he would not seek re-election but would, instead, run for the U.S. Senate.Karen Shepherd's 1992 campaign platform led with a balanced budget, and support for government involvement in health care reform, education, abortion, and the environment.She put forward a 10-point plan for improving children's lives that included tracking down delinquent fathers and fully funding Head Start.