Nearly 1,400 Utah Democrats gathered at Ogden High School on Saturday to chart the party’s course for the next two years - one they hope will help them find success at the ballot box that has eluded them for decades. It won’t be easy. Democrats make up just 14% of the active voters in the state and are outnumbered by Republicans by nearly 4 to 1. The party hasn’t won a statewide race since 1992.
CHAIR’S RACE
Utah Democrats opted for experience over youth on Saturday, selecting former Rep. Brian King to serve as party chair for the next two years. King told delegates that the party should be louder about what they stand for when communicating with voters.
“I’m running for chair because Utah is ready for a Democratic Party that doesn’t whisper our values, but stands up for them,” King said. “Some people will tell you that Utah is too far gone that will never turn it blue, shouldn’t even try. That’s garbage, that’s cowardice.”
“Republicans are serious about hurting people, and we need to be just as serious about protecting them,” King added.
As an eight-term state representative and the party's 2024 gubernatorial nominee, King represents the Democratic establishment in Utah.
He sees an opportunity to reach out to Utah voters who normally support Republicans, but might be turned off by how the Trump administration has handled the economy and immigration issues.
“We need to reach out with an effective way of communicating to Utahns about what our values and help them understand more specifically how it is that we represent those values and priorities to a greater degree and more effective degree than the Republicans today,” King said.
His main rival in the race for party chair was former Salt Lake County Democratic Party executive director Ben Peck, whose pitch to delegates was the need to take the party in a new direction.
“It's not gonna be easy, but Utahs deserve a party that fights for working families all year long, in every county, and in every race,” Peck said to loud cheers from younger delegates. “We can’t afford to lose.”
Democrats also elected Susan Merrill as vice chair, Brad Dickter as Secretary and Katherine Voutaz as Treasurer on Saturday.
King says the most pressing need for the party is building up infrastructure by hiring staff.
UTAH DEMOCRATS ARE FRUSTRATED…AND ANGRY
There was frustration and anger among delegates on the convention floor Saturday.
Republicans have dominated Utah for decades. Republicans control Utah’s congressional delegation, every statewide office, and have a supermajority in both houses of the Legislature.
“I’m fucking pissed,” vice-chair candidate Oscar Mata said during his address to delegates.
“I’m pissed that my daughter who was born two months ago, was born with less rights than her mother that was born 30 years ago. I’m pissed that there are folks that are getting rounded up that look like me and have a name like mine in broad daylight and being sent to detention camps in Central America. And I’m pissed that people like my mom, who is married to her wife, is one Supreme Court decision away from losing their ability to love who they love,” Mata said.
Weber County Democratic Party chair Jeremy Thompson took a shot at Democrats in Congress for their fecklessness in standing up to President Trump.
“We need leaders who don’t show deference to an old guard that has brought us to our reality today. Leaders who will do more than send a strongly worded letter with eight questions to a president who can’t read,” Thompson said.
Democrats also criticized Utah’s Republicans for focusing on culture war issues instead of addressing urgent problems facing the state.
“We have too much talent and too many ideas to be losing to a party that thinks libraries are public enemy number one,” quipped King.
Ogden School Board member Stacy Bernal said Hispanic students in that district are among the highest-achieving in the state.
“It’s because of our diversity, equity and inclusion programs,” Bernal wryly said during a meeting of the party’s Education caucus. DEI has become a conservative boogeyman during recent years.
There was inspiration for Democrats on Saturday, too.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was announced as the keynote speaker, but had to cancel his appearance because of that state’s legislative session. He did address the convention via recorded video. He urged Democrats to channel any anger or frustration they may be feeling into concrete action.
“Voters didn’t turn out for Democrats last November, not because they don't want us to fight for our values, but because they think we don't want to fight for our values. Let's stop playing by those old institutional norms. Instead, it's time to fight everywhere and all the time,” Pritzker said.
“Utah Democrats everything that we care about is under siege by a racist, misogynist, homophobic, xenophobic Donald Trump, the purveyor of chaos and confusion, who cares not at all about everyday people? I'm done with the same old, tired platitudes. Aren't you?”
WINNING ELECTIONS
The only way for Utah Democrats out of Utah’s political wilderness is to start winning elections up and down the ballot. They’re desperate for that to happen, but still trying to find the winning path.
“There’s a tragedy in our party, and it’s a tragedy of losing. Every year it’s the same party leaders, elected officials and consultants saying we’re gonna flip this state. Yet every year, nothing happens,” Salt Lake County Council member Natalie Pinkney lamented.
Jonathan Lopez, former congressional candidate and party chair contender, called for a new approach to winning elections.
“We’re stuck in old patterns and the same leaders and the same losing strategies,” Lopez said. “One problem is people who have been in leadership for years and
Party chair candidate Archie Williams, who curiously ran for Utah Lt. Governor under the American Independent Party banner last year, said Democrats only had themselves to blame for their predicament.
“If you don’t like what’s happened at the Capitol, keep doing what you’re doing,” Williams said. “We’ve got to do something different, or we’re going to keep getting people like (Spencer) Cox, and they’re going to take every right away we have. They’re going to take everything.”