Latest news with #Axson
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cox says he doesn't plan to call special session to address signature gathering
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said he has no plans to convene a special session to overturn a law governing ballot access in the state after Sen. Mike Lee used his speech at Saturday's Republican convention to plead with the governor to do so. Attacks on the law — which allows candidates to collect signatures to appear on a party's primary ballot in addition to campaigning at the party convention — appeared to escalate Saturday with Lee's remarks and a statement from newly reelected GOP Chairman Rob Axson saying he believes there are votes to repeal it in at least one chamber of the Legislature. But asked if he plans to act on pressure from Lee and others to call lawmakers into a special session on SB54, Cox told simply: 'No.' Some GOP delegates have long hoped to see SB54 rolled back in favor of just the caucus-convention system. Also, a proposal to kick candidates who gathered signatures out of the Republican Party was brought up, but not considered, during the convention last week. After his speech, Lee doubled down on his call for state lawmakers to overturn SB54, writing on X that: 'No state should dictate to political parties the process by which they nominate candidates. Ever. It ends badly for everyone — especially for conservatives.' Axson told reporters after winning reelection as party chairman that he is 'not a fan of the signature path' and wants to build support for overturning SB54 through the Legislature. 'If we build an apparatus that every Utahn and every community feels that there's a value in that, well, they're going to come along with us,' he said. 'They're going to be supportive of what we're trying to do, and the Legislature is going to listen to that. I believe, again, building is far more productive and worthwhile than taking things apart.' He said he believes there are enough votes to repeal SB54 in the House but not in the Senate — though lawmakers in both chambers don't appear to have plans to address the issues this year. Axson urged party members to be civil in pushing to have SB54 overturned, saying 'it can't be a vitriolic conversation.' 'It has to be a conversation that's transparent and upfront and collaborative,' he said. 'If we can show the value of what the Republican Party is doing and trying to do and trying to grow and build additional capacity, we make it a lot easier on these elected officials to take the hard votes of repealing SB54. It's going to take some time. How long or how short that is, I don't know.' While some of the most die-hard supporters of the GOP in Utah want to see party delegates empowered to select who gets to run as a Republican in the general election, the 4,000 or so state delegates are not representative of GOP voters as a whole, and a new report shows they lean slightly more conservative ideologically. A recent poll commissioned by Count My Vote found that only 17% of Utah Republican voters think the state should do away with signature gathering altogether.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion: Lessons from the state GOP convention
The recently concluded Utah Republican Organizing Convention results offer an interesting insight into what may happen in the near future. We offer our perspectives. Current GOP chair Rob Axson prevailed over his opponent, former state representative Phil Lyman 52%-48%. This was more than just a contest to see who would be the next chairman. This election was influenced by external forces and signaled direction for the state's majority party. What does Axson's reelection mean? COWLEY: President Trump and Sen. Mike Lee are the darlings of delegates, and their endorsements tipped the scales in this contest. It wasn't Lee's endorsement of Axson that I found more notable from the convention. It was his urging that the Legislature repeal SB54, which allowed candidates to bypass the convention process. Both Axson and Lyman campaigned on eliminating the signature path, but were split on who has the authority to implement the change. Trump's policies may be popular with delegates, but many MAGA Republicans side-eye the usurpation of the 22nd Amendment regarding a third presidential term. Delegates narrowly voted down a resolution to 'oppose and condemn any measure or action' that would allow the president to serve more than two terms. With one faction of delegates opposing a third Trump term, juxtaposed with another faction donning Trump 2028 hats, the upcoming presidential election will be interesting, to say the least. Delegates' clear penchant for Trump and Lee is the antithesis of their sentiment toward Gov. Spencer Cox. Nobody can blame the governor for not attending this year's convention after the delegates' crass behavior last year. Disagreeing with a politician is one thing, but boos and jeers for our state's highest office holder is unbecoming of our party and Utah as a whole. PIGNANELLI: 'What we have in our power is gratitude. It can be culturally contagious.'— Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review Various conditions can plague successful people and prevent them from enjoying their achievements. Something similar is affecting the local GOP. Republicans control the congressional delegation, over two-thirds of the state Legislature, all the statewide offices, most county governments, etc. Utah is continually honored for a well-managed government and strong economy. Thus, activists should have spent Saturday morning congratulating themselves, thanking voters, and re-electing Axson by acclamation. Instead, they engaged once again in this silly fight over minutia, which blemishes positive messaging to the general public. The closeness of the race defies reason because Axson is a solid chairman. Without strong Democratic opposition to focus their energies, Republican delegates are instead chewing on other party members. Although delegates deferred a decision on the proposed resolution to the party constitution revoking membership of candidates seeking nomination through signatures, it's still a major issue for the party's activists. Where is this issue heading into the next legislative session and beyond? COWLEY: Let's examine why delegates support only one path to party nomination. Some believe delegates are more engaged and better informed for candidate vetting. As a former delegate, I can fully endorse that statement. Others say the convention is harder to manipulate and produces more conservative candidates. Since the passage of SB54, I haven't observed Republican candidates becoming less conservative, and both processes yield creative campaign tactics - caucus stacking and coordinated, paid signature gathering. Convention-only arguments seem to be rooted in protectionism while signature gathering favors wealthy candidates. Neither path is without its shortcomings. As candidates, legislators conduct a cost-benefit analysis. Signature gathering is costly, but it's an insurance policy. Convention-only can be expensive without any guarantee of making it to the Primary. As policymakers, legislators are divided on the best approach for candidate selection. PIGNANELLI: Delegates comprise less than 1% of Republican voters. But they want control over the nominating process restored. Because they are more engaged than the average citizen, their activism cannot be dismissed. But on the other side of the conundrum is the fact that, should the Legislature eliminate the signature gathering process, many events would be triggered. A referendum, an initiative, and a restricting of resources to the party will likely occur should delegates regain control of the nominating process. What's likely to happen? The existing passive-aggressive strategy will continue. Many elected Republican officials will grumble about the signature gathering process, praise legislation that reverses it, but ensure the bill fades away in the last days of the session. This will keep the peace. Such is practical politics. Congressional deliberations surrounding the recent tax bill imply a split between MAGA and mainstream Republicans. Is this happening in Utah? COWLEY: Congressional holdouts are conservative hardliners. They like the 'big beautiful budget bill' but feel it doesn't go far enough to reduce the deficit. Moody's downgrading of the U.S. credit rating fuels these concerns. Comparable budget hawks also serve in Utah's Legislature, but because of our constitutionally mandated balanced budget, similar dynamics don't arise. PIGNANELLI: The Utah delegation has perfected the ability of throwing red meat to the activists but working behind the scenes to ensure a working relationship with the president, his team and their colleagues. Similar dynamics occur in the Legislature, in which local MAGA lawmakers receive attention but the necessary work (budgets, appropriations, infrastructure, economic features, etc.) are always a priority. Republican Renae Cowley is a political consultant, lobbyist, social media influencer, and professional rodeo athlete. Email: capitolcowgirl@ Frank Pignanelli is a Salt Lake attorney, lobbyist, and political adviser who served as a Democrat in the Utah State Legislature. Email: frankp@
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah Republican Party sticks with ‘bridge builder' Rob Axson as chair; Lyman loses
Utah Republican Party Chair Rob Axson, running for reelection, speaks with delegates during the party's organizing convention at Utah Valley University on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (Katie McKellar/Utah News Dispatch) The Utah GOP's state delegates have charted the next chapter for the state's dominant political party — sticking with an incumbent who characterized himself as a 'bridge builder' rather than a burner. With nearly 67% turnout during their organizing convention at Utah Valley University in Orem on Saturday, 2,645 Utah Republican Party state delegates voted to reelect Rob Axson as their party chair, handing another loss to his challenger and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman. Axson won with about 54% (1,430 votes), to Lyman's nearly 46% (1,215 votes), according to the party's election results. The vote settled what many delegates considered a toss-up contest — but Axson won with a healthy majority. Though Lyman and his 'Make Utah Great Again' campaign was given a warm reception with loud cheers from passionate supporters, Axson was a formidable incumbent, buoyed by an endorsement from President Donald Trump about a week before the convention. To Axson, his victory showed delegates 'want to see more' of what he's started in the Utah Republican Party. 'They want to see additional momentum. They want to see growth,' Axson told reporters after his win. 'They've seen what I've delivered over the last two years … and that is now the new foundation. Let's build from there.' Axson — who championed his fundraising record as chair of the party since 2023 and framed himself as a 'bridge builder' rather than a burner — was also endorsed by other Utah Republican Party heavyweights, including Sen. Mike Lee and other Utahns in Congress, as well as high-ranking state leaders including House Speaker Mike Schultz, and former party chair Carson Jorgensen. Axson or Lyman? Utah Republican delegates to elect their next leader Lyman, on the other hand, campaigned against the 'establishment,' continuing a barrage of unsubstantiated claims that he peddled during his unsuccessful bid last year against Gov. Spencer Cox that there's 'corruption' and election fraud in Utah government. In the end, though, delegates signaled they liked the track Axson has put the party on over the last two years, while they rejected Lyman's pitch for a more combative — perhaps even unlawful — future GOP. While challenging Axson for party chair, Lyman painted himself as a leader who would position the Utah GOP to more aggressively assert its capability to select Republican nominees rather than follow SB54, a 2014 state law that allows a dual path to the primary through both the caucus and convention process and through signature gathering. Though Axson also agreed Utah Republicans should continue fighting SB54, he disagreed with taking Lyman's approach, which Axson argued would amount to breaking the law. Instead, Axson said the party should focus on working with the Utah Legislature to change the law. During his speech, Axson told delegates that SB54 'still undermines the principles of our party.' However, he also said 'the law is the law, and claiming otherwise is not a strategy for success, no matter how loudly you do so.' 'We must repeal SB54, but we cannot unless we are united,' he said. 'We can't beat SB54 if we spend all our time beating one another.' Without naming Lyman during his speech, Axson said there's a 'clear difference between me and others: I am not willing to break the law, especially to break the law in a way that will jeopardize our Republican candidates and force them to get signatures instead of leaning into the delegate process that we all believe in.' Axson also touted the endorsement from Trump, along with support from members of Utah's congressional delegation and others. 'Ultimately if we want to be successful beyond the next 20 years, if we hope to bring the next generation into the Republican Party, we must build,' he said. Lyman, during his speech, didn't specifically address SB54 or specifics about his vision as party leader, but he focused on his philosophical stance for a government that 'belongs to the people.' 'I wish that I lived in 1765 back in Boston,' Lyman said, adding that if he did, 'I would have been a member of the Sons of Liberty,' referring to a secretive and sometimes violent political organization in the 13 American Colonies that worked to fight taxation by the British government. 'I would have been there in 1770 when the Boston Massacre occurred, I would have been there in 1773 when the (Boston) Tea Party took place,' Lyman said. 'Because those people were pushing back against the government that did not have their interests at heart. That's what we're about.' Lyman said the Sons of Liberty were 'called all kinds of horrible names too, including bridge burners, but they actually burned bridges to impede the direction of their enemy.' Lyman also issued a call to action to unite Utah Republicans, regardless of the outcome of the race for GOP chair. 'From this point, we will be united,' he said. 'I will stand behind Rob Axson. He's a friend of mine. I love Donald Trump, he's my president. I've supported him. I appreciate Sen. Lee. … I recognize their efforts, I support them.' But Lyman concluded his speech by telling delegates 'this is a time for you.' 'This is your party. The Republican Party is yours. And today you will decide what direction this party takes,' he said, to loud cheers. On full display throughout the convention was Republican delegates' continued hatred of SB54. Utah lawmakers passed the law more than 10 years ago as a compromise to ward off a looming ballot initiative to do away with the caucus and convention system altogether in favor of signature gathering. But ever since, Utah Republican Party caucus system loyalists have despised the law, even though it's survived multiple court challenges that almost drove the Utah GOP to bankruptcy. It's become one of the largest wedges dividing Utah Republicans, and Republicans' strategy to continue fighting it was at the heart of the contest between Axson and Lyman. But if there was an early indication that most delegates weren't in favor of taking a scorched earth approach to challenge SB54 further, one of the first votes they took Saturday morning was to strip from the agenda a proposed amendment to the party's constitution that would temporarily revoke a Republican candidate's party membership if they gain access to the ballot through signature gathering rather than through the caucus and convention system. State law specifies two types of political parties: registered parties and qualified political parties. Candidates of registered parties must use signature gathering to access the ballot, while candidates of qualified parties (a designation the Utah GOP currently functions under), can either gather signatures or be nominated at convention. Utah law does not have a designation that lets parties only allow ballot access through nomination. If the state GOP's proposed amendment to strip a candidate's party membership for using a legal pathway to the ballot had passed, it would have violated state law and possibly could have led to yet another court challenge. The amendment's sponsor, Arnold Gaunt, motioned to remove it from the agenda, saying 'there's a better path for responding to the problem.' Axson told reporters that he's 'not a fan' of SB54 and the signature gathering path, but he focused his message on 'not lawsuits, not division, not purity tests. It's building something that can't be ignored.' 'If we build an apparatus that every Utahn and every community feels that there's a value in that, well they're going to come along with us,' Axson said. 'They're going to be supportive of what we're trying to do, and the Legislature is going to listen to that.' Axson said his preference would be for the Legislature to repeal SB54. Pressed on whether that's a real possibility, he told reporters 'the votes are there in the House' while they're 'not there yet in the Senate.' 'But it can't be a vitriolic conversation. It's not threats. It has to be a conversation that's transparent and up front and collaborative,' Axson said. 'If we can show the value of what the Republican Party is doing … and trying to grow and build additional capacity, we make it a lot easier on these elected officials to take the hard votes of repealing SB54.' However, Axson acknowledged 'it's going to take some time.' 'How long or how short that is, I don't know,' Axson said. 'But I do know we have in our ability the opportunity to build a strong party, and that will be a benefit in repealing SB54 or solving other complex issues.' The morning of the convention, Axson's predecessor, former Utah GOP Chair Carson Jorgensen, was chatting up delegates wearing an Axson button on his shirt. He said Axson is the right leader for the party, lauding him as a proven organizer and fundraiser who helped bring the party out of bankruptcy after multiple failed legal challenges of SB54. Jorgensen said Axson will take the right approach by focusing on working with lawmakers to strengthen the caucus-convention system rather than more lawsuits. Are delegates in touch with Utah voters? Survey reveals where they 'align and diverge' 'I like Phil personally as a friend, I think he's a nice guy,' Jorgensen said. 'But here's the thing. There are three ways we're going to navigate SB54, and only three. One is the lawsuit route. We've tried it. It doesn't work. Phil is 0 for 5 on lawsuits. The party can't afford another lawsuit.' Jorgensen said the next option is a 'legislative fix,' which requires a 'relationship with the Legislature.' 'Sorry, but Phil has burned every — every — bridge he had with any legislator,' Jorgensen said. The last option, he said, is the party opts to hold its own primary. 'What does that take? Money,' Jorgensen said. 'If the party's going to hold their own primary, they've got to fund it. We figure between $1.5 and $3 million to run it. Rob has shown he can raise that kind of money.' So Axson has 'two of the three that need to happen, and Phil doesn't have any,' Jorgensen concluded. 'That's why I support Rob.' Jorgensen also issued a call to Utah Republicans to set their differences aside and coalesce behind the new chair. 'Everybody needs to get back on the same page. This has been a pretty toxic election,' he said, adding that someone recently called him an 'establishment RHINO hack.' To that, he said, 'you obviously don't know me and you're on the wrong side of things, because you don't find anybody more conservative than I am.' Utah's SB54 still stands despite 10 years of angst. Will lawmakers change it? Another Axson supporter seen mingling with delegates was House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, who was also acting as a delegate Saturday. He told Utah News Dispatch that he'd be voting for Axson for party chair 'because we need somebody to bring all sides together.' 'That's what we do in the Legislature,' Schultz said. 'We have to work to find common ground.' Why not Lyman? Schultz declined to comment, focusing his remarks instead on his support of Axson. Trump's endorsement of Axson, Schultz said, indicates Trump 'has noticed something different about Utah.' 'He has embraced Utah and sees Utah as being able to help push the agenda that he's pushing on a nationwide level,' Schultz said. 'I think that's why you saw President Trump chime in and say, what you're doing in Utah is working, stick with it.' Schultz added that Utah Republicans need to realize 'if we split up our party, we lose.' 'If the party gets split, it's the best thing that can happen for Democrats in the state of Utah,' he said. 'So finding ways to keep the party together keeps Utah Republican, it keeps Utah conservative. That's what President Trump sees and that's why I'm supporting Rob Axson.' Pressed on efforts to repeal SB54, Schultz told Utah News Dispatch he and lawmakers are open to working with the Utah Republican Party to find a path forward that's focused on strengthening the caucus and convention system — but he also warned that completely undoing SB54 could have negative consequences. 'Count My Vote has been very open and saying that they will run a ballot initiative that does away with the caucus convention altogether,' he said. 'I think that would be very harmful to the grassroots of our party.' Schultz added: 'I love the caucus convention system because it does keep money out of politics. So I would like to look for ways to make the caucus and convention system stronger and get their people involved in the caucus and convention system.' 'That is a good pathway forward,' he said, but he didn't offer any specifics of what that could look like in legislative action. 'I truly don't know,' he said, 'but I think we need to understand the consequences of (undoing SB54). We look at the polling, and it's not even close. If it goes to ballot initiative, we lose the caucus and convention system. And I think that would be horrible. I would rather find ways to make the caucus and convention system stronger.' Wearing a maroon MUGA hat in support of Lyman, Tiffany Mendenhall, of Ivins, said she was all in favor of Lyman for chair. Signature audit finds 'some errors' — but Cox still ultimately qualified for primary 'Lyman has our best interest at heart,' she said, adding that she didn't like the outcome of the governor's race last year and the direction the Utah GOP has been heading. 'Phil is very well aware of what's going on with all the crookedness and all of that stuff. He intends to get us back to more traditional voting methods so that there's no fraud.' Though Utah's election was certified and Cox legally qualified as a Republican candidate before he went on to win the election, Mendenhall said she believed the governor's race was 'absolutely stolen,' arguing he 'didn't have the signatures.' While signature gathering audits did find 'some errors' and that based on statistical error rates Cox could have initially fallen short of the 28,000-signature requirement, auditors also reported that had clerks told him he hadn't qualified (which they didn't), he would have had 28 days more days to submit enough signatures. Ultimately, the audits concluded Cox followed the law and qualified for the primary. Mendenhall, however, stood firm on the false claim that Lyman has repeatedly pushed throughout both his gubernatorial and Utah GOP chair campaigns — that Cox was an illegitimate candidate and 'stole' the election. 'You can't tell us that it wasn't. And so how can we feel that we have a fair election when our governor in charge is a cheat?' Mendenhall said. She argued Axson hasn't done enough to challenge what happened during the governor's race. 'He hasn't stood up to take care of this. This shouldn't have happened.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How the Utah GOP convention will decide the fate of party unity
Utah Republican Party delegates will decide Saturday if the state GOP will launch a war against elected officials, election outcomes and the primary process. The local party volunteers will vote on an amendment that would change party rules to expel candidates who use signatures to get on the ballot. They will also vote on how the next party chair should advance the decade-old project to remove the signature option completely. For many of the 4,000 state delegates, the race for party chair between incumbent Rob Axson and former lawmaker Phil Lyman signifies much more than the typical partisan spat. It represents a fundamental disagreement about whether the state's trajectory demands radical disruption of the status quo or continued collaboration with leaders across the Republican Party spectrum. Both candidates have expressed support for President Donald Trump while touting their MAGA bonafides but offer different visions for the best strategy to keep Utah red. Mediating party member disagreements, partnering with the Legislature and launching record-breaking fundraising and get-out-the-vote operations have been the hallmarks of Axson's two years in office that he promises to repeat if reelected. Alleging unsubstantiated corruption, rooting out the influence of so-called RINOs and rejecting compromise defined Lyman's recent gubernatorial campaign which he has morphed into a bid for chair as he prepares to run for governor again in 2028. Hanging over Saturday's vote is Trump's endorsement of Axson which has been framed by some as a vindication of Axson's leadership and by others as proof of establishment subterfuge. Regardless of who they support, the delegates who spoke with the Deseret News agree that the outcome of the party chair election will shape the future of the Utah Republican Party for the next two years and the character of Utah conservatism beyond that. Since 2014, Republicans have fought over the passage of SB54. The infamous law was — according to the policymakers involved — an effort to prevent the elimination of Utah's unique caucus convention system. It combined the convention candidate nomination process with a signature-gathering path to qualify for primary elections in order to stave off a ballot initiative that threatened to take primaries out of party hands completely. Multiple GOP chairs have since sought to repeal the law through legislative action and legal challenges, arguing that it violates the party's right of association and enables big-money candidates. Axson and Lyman both want to return candidate selection to party insiders. But delegates view the two prospective chairs as diverging on what they are willing to do to make this happen. 'The selection process is at the heart of this chairman's race,' said Don Guymon, the chair of the Davis County Republican Party. 'Who's best (positioned) to see if we can repeal SB54 is probably one of the central questions of the election.' While Axson has said that legislators must reverse the policy which courts have upheld on several occasions, Lyman has said he will do whatever it takes to block the path of candidates who gather signatures. On Tuesday, Lyman said he would fight back against policies the GOP disagrees with, including the dual-pathway primary system, through 'nullification,' a theory that argues that an authority can ignore laws it deems to be unconstitutional. 'The GOP is the 800-pound gorilla in the room but we refuse to flex our muscle,' Lyman said. 'I'm done with the notion that we are weak.' Following the chair election, delegates are scheduled to vote on a proposed amendment to the GOP party constitution that would revoke the party membership for one year of any candidate who pursues signature qualification. Taylor Morgan, executive director of Count My Vote, the group partially responsible for the state's signature primary path, told the Deseret News the party has tried SB54 workarounds like this before to no avail. 'It's a shameful and desperate attempt to prop up the party's failing caucuses and conventions,' Morgan said. 'Count My Vote remains committed to our mission and is prepared to take action to ensure that all Utah voters will continue to have a voice in our elections.' If the party moves forward with these limitations on signature gathering it could spell the end of its official party status in general elections and the end of the convention nominating process, according to Stan Lockhart, former GOP chair from 2007-2009. SB54 outlines that for a party to officially nominate someone to the general election it must allow candidates to qualify for a primary through both party conventions and gathering signatures. Lockhart recognizes that Lyman's 'more militant' style resonates with some delegates. But he said it is much easier to claim something is unconstitutional during a campaign than it is to actually go against court rulings. 'You can win the battle and lose the war,' Lockhart said. 'If you go down the Phil Lyman route, I believe that will trigger a new initiative, then the Republican Party has to bet on the fact that the voters are going to want less of a say in elections, not more of a say, in order to keep the caucus convention system.' Lyman and his wing of the party view SB54 as a symptom of a much broader problem that they believe has brought the state to the precipice of permanently losing what makes it great. At the center of this diagnosis is what Lyman has called 'the establishment,' or the cast of elected officials he claims have allowed 'liberal' policies on immigration, spending, elections and DEI to infiltrate the state. Lyman did not respond to multiple requests for an interview. Sophie Anderson, a state delegate from Davis County and one of Lyman's most dedicated supporters, said everything about the race for chair comes down to the establishment vs. anti-establishment dichotomy. 'That's what this race is about,' Anderson said. 'Do we want the status quo establishment candidate? Or do we want the anti-establishment breaking through the barriers that will eventually revive our party in Phil Lyman?' Even Axson's endorsement from Trump — which precipitated endorsements from convention favorites Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. Burgess Owens and state lawmakers — is simply evidence that 'the establishment is terrified of a Phil Lyman GOP chairmanship,' according to Anderson. But Axson, having spent his career working for Lee and advocating for conservative policies as an activist, said it was 'laughable to be called 'establishment.'' The contentious nature of the chair election is representative of 'undercurrents that have been there for a long time' in the party, according to Axson, but he said the healthy debate ends as soon as delegates resort to 'name calling.' Axson said his endorsement from Trump, which came amid several state chair and congressional endorsements, showed that the president recognized his track record of blowing past party fundraising records and sending money and volunteers to help Trump and other candidates win elections in Arizona and Nevada. 'I think it goes to show the power of being collaborative as a team to try to get past the finish line,' Axson said. 'My focus is for the Utah Republican Party to win by elevating and growing its strength and relevance to benefit our state for years to come. This is not a placeholder as I run for other office.' Don Willie, founder of the political consulting firm Epicenter Strategies, said Utah's senior senator 'obviously ... played a critical role' in Axson's endorsement from Trump. Willie, who has worked closely with GOP national committeeman Brad Bonham for years, said the endorsement will have a 'big impact' on delegates because it bursts the assumption that Lyman is the default 'MAGA candidate' and highlights Axson's relationship with national players. Michelle Tanner, a state delegate and St. George city councilwoman, said the endorsement speaks to Axson's broad support from the grassroots on up to the White House. But more than that, Tanner said, it shows he can build lasting coalitions with an actual resume of party victories that benefit the party as a whole, not just one faction. 'We can't truly have the best things rise to the top if we can't feel comfortable having that open dialogue and knowing that we have a leader of our party who is not out there burning bridges but is out there learning how to build more bridges,' Tanner said. 'We want our movement to be growing, not dwindling down to a select few narrow viewpoints.' Alexis Ence, a member of the GOP's governing body, the State Central Committee, said both Axson and Lyman are both authentic conservatives. The distinction comes down to the role of a leader. Despite his personal views, a football coach's job is to resolve problems behind the scenes and not to 'trash players publicly' because that 'damages the whole team,' Ence said. Carolina Herrin, a state delegate with multiple other positions within the party, said Axson has followed through with his promise of 'putting Utah on the map.' Herrin supports Axson for reelection because she thinks the party should maintain this momentum which she fears would be lost under a chair with Lyman's approach to party politics. 'We need someone who is able to work at all levels with every type of individual and not pick and choose who they feel is more conservative than others,' Herrin said. Mackey Smith, a central committee member and the former chair for Utah Young Republicans, said he has heard from many delegates who supported Lyman for governor but do not want him elected as chair. While Lyman's rhetoric is in line with what many delegates are hungry for, Smith said, there is a recognition that to bring about desired changes the chair needs a working relationship with the Legislature like Axson has. Yemi Arunsi, a state delegate and former Davis County chair, said Axson has gone the extra mile in providing support for local parties and candidates. Arunsi called Axson's endorsement from Trump a 'game changer' for the party that reveals how Utah's influence has grown within the national GOP under Axson. This growth, according to Arunsi, is attributed to an approach that welcomes a diverse group of Republicans. 'Whomever it is in the leadership position, if that individual is not ready to to bring the party together, then I think we will start seeing an exit of Republicans that support the party,' Arunsi said. On Saturday, party delegates will hear remarks from Axson and Lyman, as well as candidates for GOP secretary, before a leadership vote. Delegates will meet at the Utah Valley University's UCCU Center where there will also be a U.S. Senate panel with Lee and Sen. John Curtis, and a U.S. House panel with Owens and Reps. Blake Moore, Celeste Maloy and Mike Kennedy. Additionally, there will be a statewide officials panel with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Attorney General Derek Brown, Auditor Tina Cannon, Treasurer Marlo Oaks, Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
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Are delegates in touch with Utah voters? Survey reveals where they ‘align and diverge'
A report by the Utah Foundation found that even though party delegates tend to be more pessimistic than their voter counterparts, in general 'their ideological positions show notable alignment with voters.' (Illustration by Alex Cochran for Utah News Dispatch) A new report released days before Utah Republican Party delegates will gather to select their new chair offers some insights about where Utah's delegates 'align and diverge' with other voters in their own parties. The report published by the Utah Foundation — a nonprofit with the mission of informing Utahns with nonpartisan public policy research — didn't find glaring differences that would suggest Republican or Democratic delegates are completely out of touch with the rest of their voting party members. Axson or Lyman? Utah Republican delegates to elect their next leader But it did find some notable differences, especially when it comes to demographics like age, sex and education, and issues that are top of mind when compared to the voters that delegates represent in the caucus and convention system. The Utah Foundation report, informed by three separate surveys conducted by Y2 Analytics in 2024, outlined these key findings: Pessimism: Delegates from both parties are more pessimistic than their voter counterparts. The difference was more apparent among Republicans, with 55% of GOP delegates saying they felt the state was on the wrong track compared to only 42% of voters. Among Democratic delegates, 84% said they felt the state was on the wrong track, compared to 79% of Democratic voters. Ideological differences: Republican delegates are 'somewhat more conservative' than GOP voters, the report said, 'while Democratic delegates are about the same as Democratic voters.' While measuring 'ideological consistency' based on answers to survey questions, pollsters found the median Republican voter is 'less conservative' than the median Republican delegate, while the median Democratic voter and delegate are about the same. 'In other words, Utah's Republican delegates are more likely to have consistently conservative views than Republican voters, while Democratic delegates are about the same as Democratic voters,' the report said. Issue priorities: GOP delegates 'place less importance on housing, roads, air quality, and crime when compared to Republican voters,' the report said, 'while Democratic delegates focus more on education content and less on healthcare and homelessness when compared to Democratic voters.' Demographics: Most notably, delegates of both parties are more likely to fit specific democratic characteristics. 'Both Republican and Democratic delegates are more likely than voters to be men, actively religious, older, and white, and have more education and higher incomes,' the report said. Is the Utah convention system still relevant? 'I think the key takeaway is there are quite a few differences between voters and delegates,' said Utah Foundation President Shawn Teigen during a call with media discussing the outcomes of the report on Wednesday. 'But I think the most notable is in terms of demographics. (Delegates tend to be) actively religious and men, but also tend to be older, white, and have more education and higher incomes.' When it comes to priorities, the survey also found some but not many differences between delegates and voters in both parties. When asked to rank 17 priorities, Republican delegates tended to rank the Great Salt Lake and women's rights as more important when compared to GOP voters. However, Republican delegates also ranked housing, roads, density and crime as slightly less important, while air quality ranked less important. Democratic delegates, when compared to Democratic voters, ranked government overreach and crime as less important. In conclusion, the report said that even though delegates tend to be more pessimistic than their voter counterparts, in general 'their ideological positions show notable alignment with voters.' 'While voters and delegates have similar ideologies, the priorities look a little different for Republicans than they do for Democrats,' the report said. 'The largest differences in priorities among the parties' voters and delegates are air quality for Republicans and crime for Democrats, each of which was less important for delegates.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
