Latest news with #UtahDemocraticParty
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Blue dots in a red sea: Utah Democrats look for a way forward
Nearly 600 of the 2,343 delegates from the state participated in person at the Utah Democratic Convention held in Ogden on Saturday, casting their votes for new party leadership with the aim of forming a united front against the dominant Republicans in the state. Winning 52% of the record-breaking 1,450 votes cast by both in-person and remote delegates, Brian King won as the new face of the Utah Democratic Party. He told the Deseret News he's going to work to unify the party in the Beehive State. That means the 'very progressive on the left end of the spectrum' and the 'moderates and pragmatists and independents and unaffiliated voters and disillusioned Republicans,' he said. 'It is not either or. It is both.' 'An effective party and an effective party leadership has to be able to have things to say to both groups and everybody in between that causes them to say, 'OK, I feel good about being a Democrat,'' King added. Before the votes were cast, Jeremy Thompson, chair of the Weber County Democratic Party Executive Committee, said that it'll be the responsibility of the state party leaders to turn 'Utah from blue dots to an ocean of progressive success.' In his opening remarks, Thompson said the United States is fighting 'the same challenges' that citizens during the civil rights era were going through, with Donald Trump as president for the next four years. The convention came at a time when many local and national Democrats are wondering if the party can overcome its internal battles to even have a fighting chance against Republican power on the state and federal level. DNC party chair candidate Archie A. Williams said Democrats' losses stem from the party being outnumbered by Republicans and then worsened by a lack of unification. 'We can't afford to boycott elections when we're losing. We have to work together now,' he said. A self-described 'pro-life Democrat,' Williams said if you want a Democrat to win in Utah, you're going to have to pick a pro-life candidate. Many in the crowd began to boo his comment, but Williams responded by saying he's simply sharing 'how to win.' But not every Democrat believes trying to appeal to socially conservative voters is the best tactic. Ken Charette, vice chair of House District 34 and supporter of King's closest competitor, Ben Peck, told the Deseret News that he doesn't think trying to change the party's message on social issues is the right approach. 'I don't think that's what we need right now. I think we need somebody that isn't afraid to say, 'I'm a Democrat and I support LGBTQ people. I support reproductive rights.'' Peck ultimately lost to King after winning 48% of the votes. 'We need to not move ourselves more to the middle to be appeasing everyone, because people can tell when we are speaking out of both sides of our mouth,' Charette said, pointing out that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' 'Fighting Oligarchy Tour' with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, brought in 20,000 Utahns 'and their message isn't moderated.' Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who was supposed to be a guest speaker but ended up canceling last minute, said in a short video message that Utah Democrats 'know a thing or two about showing up to the fight.' 'You know how to stand up against the odds and get things done,' Pritzker said. Now, as chair, King said the Utah Democrats voted for someone 'that they want to stand up and speak truth to power.' 'I want the people in this room to know that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to not hesitate to stand up and speak truth,' he said. Following his win he said in a post on social media that he's ready for the role. Here are the newly elected officers: Brian King, Chair Susan Merrill, Vice Chair Brad Dickter, Secretary Catherine Voutaz, Treasurer
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Utah Democrats to choose between seasoned legislator and young campaigner as new leader
Campaigner Ben Peck and former Rep. Brian King are the two major candidates seeking to lead the Utah Democratic Party. (Photos courtesy of Ben Peck and Brian King) Utah Democratic Party officials expect between 800 to 1,000 people to attend their organizing convention in person this year, one of the largest headcounts for a non-election year gathering the party has seen in recent years. Diane Lewis, who has chaired the party's Utah chapter for the last four years, didn't throw her hat in the ring for another term in her role. But, with four other candidates eager to pick up where she left off, she's hopeful for the future of organized Democrats in deep red Utah. 'I have never seen as much excitement and turnout at our conventions. I would say that our turnouts probably have doubled (in different Democratic events across the state),' Lewis said on Thursday. 'New people, young people, people wanting to get involved, run for office.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX There are two major candidates for chair this year — former Rep. Brian King, a widely-known face in state politics for about 16 years who left his spot at the Utah House to compete in last year's gubernatorial elections with no success, and newcomer Ben Peck, who has been behind campaigns that have flipped some red offices to blue. Jonathan Lopez, an IT technician who has been behind other Democratic campaigns and is also running for chair, didn't answer an interview request, and the fourth candidate, Archie A Williams III, didn't list his information on the party's website prior to the convention. Committing to such a role didn't come easy for King, he said on Thursday. But, after seeing President Donald Trump's election and bracing to witness another legislative session with a Republican supermajority, this time from the sidelines, he couldn't stand the idea of sitting on his hands. He sees that ubiquitous red presence in Utah politics as a monopoly that needs to be of lower intensity with more competition. Strategizing before election, Utah Democrats plead 'come back home' 'People may not realize how damaging it is to have a monopoly of political power, like we do in Utah,' King said. 'The Republicans have a supermajority in the legislature. They control the executive branch with the governor. They control the great majority of counties here in the state, and it's not good for Utahns to not have more healthy competition.' Most Democratic elected officers represent areas along the Wasatch Front. However, King believes that Utahns in rural counties are ready for a change of policies to tackle issues they deal with daily. 'When you're in the supermajority for long enough, like the Republicans are, you get complacent. You think that you don't have to address people's problems, you don't have to work hard,' he said. During his campaign, he has also seen more engagement from affiliates who, since Trump took office, have felt the need to step up, he said, 'and push back against government overreach at the state level and the federal level.' While King has been around for longer and has an extensive list of flashy endorsements, including Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County mayors, among other prominent Utah Democrats, Peck said he's 'cautiously optimistic' about his chances on Saturday. 'My message seems to really be resonating with people,' Peck said. 'I know it's going to be an uphill battle. Brian has a long history here in the state and in the party, but I think that people are ready for a change, ready to try something new.' He knows what it takes to win in Utah, he said, highlighting the successful campaigns he ran that elected Natalie Pinkney in a tight race for a Salt Lake County Council seat, and Sheila Srivastava, the first woman elected to serve as Salt Lake County treasurer. At 25 years old, he also believes the party needs representation from younger people, as support appears to be slipping in that group and the state Legislature keeps its Republican supermajority. 'It's hard for people who have been involved in politics for decades to credibly tell people 'I'm going to fix it. Things are going to change now,' because people rightly come back with, 'well, why haven't you done it yet?'' Peck said. The day will start and end early at Ogden High School, with delegates convening in smaller caucuses to discuss issues like approaches to health care, education and labor, among others, and to elect new leadership, including the party's vice chair, secretary and treasurer. Delegates will also vote on a party platform highlighting Utah Democrats' belief in economic security, equality of opportunity and investing in the common good for all. Additionally, they'll make their choice on two resolutions, one relating to veterans, and the other to take an official stand against presidents running for three terms. While Lewis is looking forward to her retirement, she is also excited about seeing where the party goes now. 'We have amazing leaders in each county party, and they're willing to work. I hope that the new leadership of the state party sees that whole thing, and that they continue to build from where we are now,' Lewis said. 'Because the only place we can go is up.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah Democrats launch campaign to recruit more party candidates in local elections
The Utah Democratic Party has kicked off a statewide campaign with the goal of recruiting hundreds of Democratic candidates to run for local office in Utah. 'To ensure progress in our state, we have to be persistent with voters. That means no contest is too local and no race is too small,' said Diane Lewis, state Democratic Party chair. 'Our pathway to victory is to find local leaders to run for office everywhere.' The campaign, which kicked off last week, is part of a national movement being led by Contest Every Race, which is working to rebuild Democratic strength in places where Republicans often run uncontested. The new 2025 candidate recruitment program is trying to fill more than 700 offices in communities around Utah, including city council, town council and mayoral seats. This will be done through seeking and supporting new Democratic candidates ahead of the June 7 filing deadline. Outreach for the recruitment drive will prioritize rural and small-town communities, where Republicans often run unopposed. Outreach methods include text messaging, organizing meetings and coaching support for first-time candidates. 'In local races across the country, we are seeing voters turn out in red districts and vote for Democrats,' added Zoë Stein, executive director of Contest Every Race. 'That's why we're so excited to partner with Utah Democrats and ensure voters have a choice — because when they do, they vote blue." National Contest Every Race initiative Contest Every Race was founded in 2018, and since then has recruited over 11,000 Democrats to run for local office across the country. 'We believe that no election should go unchallenged and that regular people with shared values can step up to make a difference,' per the Contest Every Race website. 'Our mission is to strengthen democracy by empowering individuals to run for office, especially in communities where Republicans and the radical right have taken control unopposed.' In 2022, the organization found that more than 50% of all partisan races went without Democratic contest. How many Utah races went uncontested last year? Utah is a primarily Republican state and has multiple races go uncontested each election year. In the November 2024 general election, out of 137 Utah elections covered by Ballotpedia, 35 of them were uncontested. Throughout all of 2024, Ballotpedia covered 638 elections in Utah and 442 of them were uncontested. Ballotpedia defines an uncontested election as 'one where the number of candidates on the ballot is less than or equal to the number of seats up for election. Candidates running in uncontested elections are virtually guaranteed victory.' In the 2024 elections for Utah's state legislative seats, there was no Democratic candidate in 25 of 75 House races and in 6 of 14 Senate races.
