Utah
Meanwhile back at the ranch: Gubernatorial Edition
Gubernatorial is a wonderful word meaning pertaining to governors. Governors do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to good government, though they generally get less press these days than senators and, of course, presidents, unless they are very good or very bad.
While the Senate contests in the West this year offer excitement and good pickup opportunities, the gubernatorial elections present a much more settled picture, with one notable exception.
Nationally 28 Democrats and 22 Republicans hold governorships. In the West the totals are seven for the Democrats (AZ, CO, MT, NM, OR, WA, WY) and six for the GOP. Nationally, there will be eleven gubernatorial contests on November 4, 2008. Six of those seats are currently held by Democrats and five by Republicans. Three of those eleven contests are in the West, namely in Montana (D), Utah (R), and Washington (D).
In Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, a star among Western Democrats, is looking strong. When Time magazine did a lengthy piece on The Democrats’ New Western Stars (Jan. 19, 2007), it was Governor Schweitzer’s photo they led with. Click here to watch Governor Schweitzer explain how elections are won in Montana.
In Utah, the GOP has held the governorship for 24 years, and Republican Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. will be hard to beat.
In Washington, however, the contest promises to be exciting, because Democratic Governor Christine Gregoire won a squeaker in 2004, complete with recounts and a court case.
Washington is a fairly Blue State. Though potentially a swing state, it has put its electoral votes in the D column in the last five presidential contests and is represented in the Senate by two Democratic Senators. Six of the nine House members from Washington are Democrats. In addition to the governorship, both chambers of the state legislature are controlled by Democrats. All politics is local, as the saying goes, but national trends--war, recession and an unpopular Republican in the White House--will be important, too. Click here for Governor Gregoire’s own website.
Leo Brown | April 27, 2008 | Comment on This Post (0 so far) |
Mitt Romney & a Democratic Outreach Opportunity
I met Mitt Romney once, years ago. I liked the old moderate Mitt Romney. The new hard-core Mitt Romney, not so much. As the campaign went on, his positions and rhetoric reminded me of why I left the Republican Party. Nothing personal, mind you. I can still like Mitt as a person, just not as a candidate. Whether the moderate Mitt or the conservative Mitt was the real Mitt Romney, who can say? Maybe both were in turn.
Imagine if Mitt Romney had instead, like Michael Bloomberg, left the Republican Party and charted an independent course. Such a move would have freed Mitt from the seemingly insurmountable hurdle of a Latter-day Saint getting past the powerful Southern Evangelical wing of the GOP, an obstacle that would likely have derailed a Bloomberg candidacy as well. Could a moderate, independent, and well-financed Bloomberg-Romney ticket have emerged to capture the imagination of the country and some Western electoral votes? It would have been interesting.
To return to the campaign that was, whispering attacks against Romney in the Bible Belt may have sobered Mormon Republicans and caused some of them to question if the GOP should be their permanent home. Harry Reid and Mitt Romney share the same religious faith, but not the same party and political outlook. The Democratic Party hasn’t had a problem with Harry Reid’s faith, and that contrast may resonate with some Latter-day Saints. A message of principled moderation, inclusion, and real compassion could go a long way in the Mormon West. The Udall family is a prominent name in the Democratic Party in the West and an old Mormon family name. Maybe years from now the first Latter-day Saint in the White House will be a Democrat.
Check out some interesting links on related topics:
LDS leaders urge compassion on the immigration issue.
Obama would reach out to Latter-day Saints
Michelle Obama visits the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Mormons make the case for Obama here, here, and here.
Leo Brown | February 8, 2008 | Comment on This Post (3 so far) |
Stunning turnout throughout the West
In a release, the DNC points out that turnout on Super Tuesday was stunningly high throughout the West -- which bodes well for the general election.
• In Colorado, Democrats saw twice the number of caucus-goers as Republicans—119,184 to 55,845. Yesterday’s turnout was eight times higher than that of turnout from 2004 when only 15,000 participated. [Denver Post, 2/6/08]• In Idaho, 21,224 people caucused for Democrats, far exceeding anyone’s expectations, and forcing officials to print more ballots. [AP, 2/5/08; cnn.com, 2/6/08]
• In Arizona, 368,828 people turned out for Democrats, far exceeding the record of 239,000. [cnn.com, 2/6/08]
• In New Mexico, more than 152,000 ballots were cast, far surpassing the 2004 number of 104,000 in 2004.
• And in Utah, 122,617 people came out for Democrats, far exceeding the 33,839 who participated in the 2004 primary. [cnn.com]
It's going to be a good year.
Kari Chisholm | February 6, 2008 | Comment on This Post (2 so far) |
Harry Reid: I am a Democrat because I am a Mormon
When Vice President Dick Cheney visited BYU, it was announced that Harry Reid, the highest national office holder who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, would also be speaking at BYU. This is in line with the Church’s long standing policy of political neutrality.
The text of Harry's talk can be found here and here with video and audio links here.
He spoke of his personal journey, his faith, and his politics:
It is not uncommon for members of the Church to ask how I can be a Mormon and a Democrat. Some say my party affiliation puts me in the minority of our Church members. But my answer is that if you look at the Church membership over the years, Democrats have not always been the minority, and I believe we won’t be for long. I also say that my faith and political beliefs are deeply intertwined. I am a Democrat because I am a Mormon, not in spite of it.
Leo Brown | October 28, 2007 | Comment on This Post (5 so far) |
The passing of giants, part 2
J.D. Williams (1926-2007) long-serving University of Utah professor and the founding director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics, serving from 1965 to 1975, also passed away in September.
He was a professor of politics at the University of Utah, first director of the university's Hinckley Institute of Politics, a candidate for both national and state offices and confidante and adviser to many of the state's leading politicians.
Tributes and information can be found here.
Leo Brown | October 24, 2007 | Comment on This Post (0 so far) |
The Passing of a Giant
Cal Rampton (November 6, 1913 – September 16, 2007), three-term governor of Utah (1965 to 1977), is a model of what Western Democrat hopes to stand for. Here are a few of the tributes that marked his passing last month.
Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said Rampton told him recently that the biggest challenge now in public service is the lack of civility. Huntsman, a Republican, recalled Rampton saying just weeks before his death on Sunday, "The system has become too darn mean."
Rampton is credited with bringing Utah into the modern era after taking office in 1965, especially in education and tourism development. "All the modern issues we deal with today got their kick-start with Governor Rampton," Huntsman said.
Holland said he, Rampton and some other Democrats were meeting recently at The Alta Club, when one Democrat started griping about what they felt were dirty political attacks from Republicans, and asked when Democrats were going to respond in kind.
Rampton slammed his fist on the table and bellowed in his gruff voice: " 'Integrity! Integrity is what we're about,' " Holland said. " 'We may win or we may lose, but we'll never lose our integrity.' "
Republican Governor Norm Bangerter served as House speaker during the Rampton administration. He said, "I think Cal Rampton was a major catalyst in helping establish Utah as an economic factor."
During his administration the state made significant investments in public education at all levels. For more than 40 years Utah's public universities and colleges have benefited from Rampton's vision.
That model of hands-on governance was very much Cal Rampton, and I think it's, again, why people across all ideological, partisan and religious divides found him to be a governor they could support and vote for…
Leo Brown | October 21, 2007 | Comment on This Post (0 so far) |
GOP losing support in Utah (the Romney effect)
Jonathan Singer over at MyDD notes that in Utah, the Republican dominance (once over 50 percent in voter identification) is beginning to show some cracks. Maybe Utah Republicans are beginning to realize that all those questions about Mitt Romney's religion are coming from a very real place in Republican culture.
The most dominant religion in the South and the most dominant social movement in modern Republicanism can hardly bring itself to respect Mormons.
I'd be a little turned off too if I heard about the damaging effects my religion is having on a front running presidential candidate.
It should be noted that no one questioned whether anyone in the Democratic Party would accept a Mormon leader in the Senate.
Religion matters in the Republican Party because it matters what religion you belong to. In the Democratic Party, religion doesn't matter in the sense that your religion is between you, God, and your community of faith and shouldn't be a political matter.
Emmett O'Connell | April 12, 2007 | Comment on This Post (5 so far) |
The New West Project
This is wonderful:
The New West Project, headquartered in Denver, will conduct research and develop strategies to secure and exploit recent Democratic gains in the Western states, party sources said.At least four Western governors - Janet Napolitano of Arizona, Bill Richardson of New Mexico, Brian Schweitzer of Montana and Bill Ritter, Colorado's governor-elect - are expected to lead the group's advisory council, the sources said. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, Sen. Ken Salazar of Colorado and other members of Congress will provide "strategic guidance."
Reid confirmed the creation of the new organization, which he said would "build upon the leadership of people such as governors Napolitano, Richardson and Schweitzer" and "work to focus attention on the West."
This is a high level group. Consider the Western Strategy in play, my friends. It is wonderful to see this sort of institutional arrangement that will only benefit our local, state and national candidates long term. It looks like part think tank, part strategy firm, part communications development - all aspects that will be welcome by the plethora of candidates that will be running these next few cycles to take advantage of our our new promise out here in the west.
The best part of the article? The quote from an unnamed "Western Democrat":
As an example of what the new organization may do, the Western Democrat said that political professionals would analyze such questions as "the difference between first- and second-generation Hispanic voters, ... what motivates them and how we communicate with them," as well as "why a recent transplant from California, who has voted Republican all her life, is now voting for Democrats."
Good question, "Western Democrat" - it just leaves me amazed to see our namesake invoked so strikingly in an article. Methinks the author of the article, John Aloysius Farrell , might just be an reader of our humble site. If so, thanks for the article John - we'll be watching for you in the future.
It's great to have a new project designed for this express purpose and examining the multitude of new questions that are arising from the new political climate in the West. Now, if any of those people involved in the project are paying attention it would behoove them greatly to include netroots and blog outreach as an element of the project. You see, since major political focus has been absent from the West for awhile the netroots and blogosphere have been proliferating and recruiting top candidates all over the place. It would be an essential element of any plan that you should put together.
I'm excited.
Here's the The New West Project!
Landon Mascareñaz | December 6, 2006 | Comment on This Post (0 so far) |
Post-Election Statehouse Roundup
To quote Buffalo Springfield, "there's something happening here". Post-election, Western Democrats have made great gains in the states, building strong majorities in the legislatures and taking or retaining several governorships. Here's a look at the numbers, courtesy of NCSL.
Senate 12-18 Republican majority
House 21-39 Republican majorityPost-Election
Senate 12-18 Republican majority
House 28-32 Republican majorityPickups
Senate – stays the same
House - +7 seats
Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano was overwhelmingly re-elected.
Pre-election
Senate 25-15 Democratic majority
Assembly 47-32-1 (Senate 25-15 Democratic majority
Assembly 48-32 Democratic majority
Pickups
Senate – stays the same
Assembly - +1 seat
Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was re-elected.
Pre-Election
Senate 18-17 Democratic majority
House 35-30 Democratic majority
Post-Election
Senate 20-15 Democratic majority
House 39-26 Democratic majority
Pickups
Senate – +2 seat
House - +4 seats
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter was elected Governor.
Pre-Election
House 13-57 Republican majority
Post-Election
Senate 7-28 Republican majority
House 19-51 Republican majority
Pickups
Senate – stays the same
House - +6 seats
Republican gubernatorial candidate C.L. “Butch” Otter was elected.
Pre-Election
Senate 27-23 Democratic majority
House 50-50
Post-Election
Senate 26-24 Democratic majority
House 50-49-1 (
Pickups
Senate – -1 Seat
House – stays the same
Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer is up for re-election in 2008.
Pre-Election
House 26-16 Democratic majority
Post-Election
House 27-15 Democratic majority
Pickups
Senate – +1 seat
House - +1 seat
Pre-Election
Senate 24-18 Democratic majorityHouse 42-28-2(
Post-Election
Senate 24-18 Democratic majority
House 42-28 Democratic majority
Pickups
Senate – stays the same
House – stays the same
Democratic Governor Bill Richardson was overwhelmingly re-elected.
Pre-Election
Senate 17-11-2(
House 27-33 Republican majority
Post-Election
Senate 17-11-2(
House 31-29 Democratic majority
Pickups
Senate – stays the same
House - +4 seats
Pre-Election
House 19-56 Republican majority
Post-Election
Senate 8-21 Republican majority
House 19-56 Republican majority
Senate – stays the same
House – stays the same
Republican Governor Jon Huntsman is up for re-election in 2008.
Pre-Election
Senate 26-23 Democratic majority
House 56-42 Democratic majority
Post-Election
Senate 32-17 Democratic majority (not since 1965)
House 63-35 Democratic majority
Senate – +6 seats
House - +7 seats
Pre-Election
Senate 7-23 Republican majority
House 14-46 Republican majority
Post-Election
Senate 7-23 Republican majority
House 17-43 Republican majority
Senate – stays the same
House - +3 seats
Democratic Governor Dave Freudenthal was overwhelmingly re-elected.
kencamp | November 22, 2006 | Comment on This Post (4 so far) |
George Will Discovers the West
In today's "election scorecard" column from conservative commentator George Will:
Four years ago all eight Mountain West states -- Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming -- had Republican governors. If Democrat Bill Ritter wins Colorado's governorship, Democrats will hold five of eight governorships in the Mountain West, which in the 1990s was even more reliably Republican than the South. In 2004 a change of a total of 63,508 votes in Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico would have given those states' 19 electoral votes and the presidency to John Kerry. No wonder the Democrats' 2008 convention will probably be in Denver.
Bring it on home, folks. Bring it on home.
Kari Chisholm | November 6, 2006 | Comment on This Post (1 so far) |
One Step at a Time
"The truth is, I'm starting to think that Utah's famous support of the war might be exaggerated."
So said Utahn Marshall Thompson, an anti-iwar Iraq War veteran walking the length of Utah, as quoted in The Utah Statesman.
"Utahans are, by nature, very loyal people. Loyalty is an excellent quality when it's directed toward a good cause. Unfortunately, it seems misdirected in the current situation. Maybe, deep down, Utahans as well as all Americans are feeling that the war in Iraq isn't working, but would never say it out loud for fear of seeming disloyal to the president, the government and the troops.""I will always stand up to defend this country. I will do what my country tells me to do, but if I have to go back, I fear for my soul. That's why I have to do what I can to stop this unjust war."
From a recent interview on Democracy Now!
Army reservist Sergeant Marshall Thompson spent a year in Iraq working as a military journalist. He reported from across Iraq, interviewing thousands of US soldiers. Now back home in his native Utah, he is planning a 500-mile walk across the state to protest the war and call for a withdrawal of US troops. His goal is to walk from the Utah/Idaho border to the Utah/Arizona border in 26 days, that’s one day for every 100 soldiers who have died in Iraq. He’ll have to average about 20 miles a day.You can go to Marshall’s web site for more information on his march and how to join it.“..they have it on the hard drives of their computers, of hundreds of pictures, small videos, of terrible things that have happened, of just terrible atrocities. And it's really sad. And I think if people knew that this was what’s happening to their young men and women over there...I think they'd be horrified. And rightly so.”
Leo Brown | September 30, 2006 | Comment on This Post (0 so far) |
Utah: More on the 50 State Strategy
As in Wyoming, something is going on in Utah, and it has to do with the 50 State Strategy. In Utah they're calling it the 29 County Strategy and its working.
Utah Democrats (hat tip to the former Kicking Ass Blog):
Today's Utah Policy Daily reports Utah Republicans are planning a "Big Red Whistle Stop Tour" of Iron and Washington Counties "to energize the Republican base..." Participants will include the Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General and 2nd Congressional District candidate LaVar Christensen.One can't help but wonder if this has as much to do with a reenergized Democratic Party in Iron and Washington Counties as with a less than enthusiastic Republican base. For the first time in perhaps decades, both Iron and Washington County feature a full slate of Democratic candidates.
...
It appears participants in the "Big Red Whistle Stop Tour" will be seeing a lot more blue faces than they are used to.
And, from the Larry Daniel, who is running for state leg in Utah, on the DNC blog:
During the UT Legislature’s Special Session on Tuesday, my opponent the incumbent I am in the race with, voted with the Democrats in favor of the education set aside and against the tax cut.Several legislators told me he would never have voted that way, but he is scared. In fact, I've heard that he is scared from local movers-and-shakers, political insiders, and from lobbyists that he has called, frantically, searching for money.
A 14-year incumbent that has never faced a Democrat opponent in a district that went 82% Bush just two years ago, is scared. Several other Republicans voted with the Democrats for the same reason.
In my county, at the most local level, we’ve only had 2 Democrtas run for office in the past 20 years. Now, because of the support we get from our State Party which now has full-time, year-round staffers working to provide us with the resources, we have 4 candidates on the ballot, and our precinct caucuses have grown 300%.
Democratic registration in my county increased 25% in a single year. Plus, for the first time anyone can remember that we filled all of our slots at the state party convention.
All of this is because of Governor Dean, Chairman Wayne and the 50-State Strategy.
Emmett O'Connell | September 24, 2006 | Comment on This Post (1 so far) |
Only a Western Democrat
Only a Western Democrat, Jim Matheson (D-UT), had the guts to speak up to question and oppose a congressional pay raise. His effort was defeated on a 249-167 vote.
The system is now such that Congress gets a pay raise without voting. Contrast that to the frozen minimum wage.
Leo Brown | June 15, 2006 | Comment on This Post (4 so far) |
R.J. Snow. In Memoriam
Friends and colleagues hailed the life of former Brigham Young University and University of Utah vice president R.J. Snow, who died Tuesday night in a car accident near his Provo home.Reuben Joseph Snow was 68 and preparing to teach his final term as a political science professor this summer before retiring. He held critical positions responsible for sports and student life and played a major role in the political science departments at BYU and the U. Since 2005, Snow had been a member of the Board of Trustees at Dixie State College, where he was a former student.
"Three Utah institutions of higher learning are mourning a great leader," BYU President Cecil Samuelson said. "R.J. changed the lives of generations of students, both in the classroom and through his thoughtful decisions as an administrator . . . He has been a personal friend and colleague for over 30 years with whom I was privileged to serve in both the church and the academy."
Tributes have been numerous and well deserved.
From Wayne Holland, Jr., Utah Democratic Party Chairman:
It is with enormous sadness that Democrats across the state of Utah mark the passing of R.J. Snow. R.J. was a state treasure. His thoughtful eloquence on any issue was always a source of inspiration to any person whose life touched his. As a former director of the Hinckley Institute at the University of Utah, and in his many years as a professor, and with his work in The Church, R.J. had the unique ability to make contact and have a positive effect on the lives of his students, his missionaries, and his colleagues. He had an indefinable quality that encouraged both friends and acquaintances to higher and higher levels of achievement. R.J. Snow will be sincerely missed.From Professor Richard Davis of BYU:
RJ Snow was one of the friendliest, most accepting people I have known. He was the embodiment of civility and graciousness. But he was also endowed with a deep commitment to public service. I have known RJ for the past ten years or so, but we acquired a friendship in the last couple of years as we served on committees together and talked frequently about the state of politics in Utah. I will miss his warm smile, hearty laugh, and keen intellect. RJ was a credit to his church, BYU, the state of Utah, and the field of political science. He was also a Utah Democrat who loved his party and wanted to see it return to the status it once held among the Utah electorate. He was approached to run for Congress last year but declined due to his health. Had he run, he would have been the type of candidate Utah Democrats would have been proud of. Had he won, he would have been a model member of Congress. He decried the bitter partisanship that exists in Congress now. He spoke of his experience with a different type of Congress - one where partisanship did not preclude friendship and bipartisanship was common. He would have helped return Congress to a place of political civility. He counted among his friends both Democrats and Republicans. All who knew him will miss him dearly.
Leo Brown | June 12, 2006 | Comment on This Post (0 so far) |
50 State Strategy, Dean, Begala, Utah and the West
Wayne Holland Jr. on Paul Begala:
Mr. Begala:"What he has spent it on, apparently, is just hiring a bunch of staff people to wander around Utah and Mississippi and pick their nose." -- Dem strategist Paul Begala on DNC Chair Howard Dean's spending, CNN, 5/11
This statement hitting on the eve of our convention, where we are about to nominate Congressman Jim Matheson for re-election, is not helpful. And, the "pick their nose" comment is hurtful to Democrats
who are truly on the frontline. An apology to my hardworking staff is in order.By leaving the GOP unopposed in places like Utah, it frees them up to concentrate on making inroads in marginal districts. Congressmen in tough places deserve support, too. Jim Matheson, Stephanie Herseth
(keynote speaker at tonight's pre-convention dinner) and even a potential pick-up like Gary Trauner in Wyoming deserve the support they are getting from the DNC."Win for today" as a long-term strategy has left many areas of the country without a healthy dialogue. The April 29 canvass where we put the DNC message on 15,000 registered Democrats doorsteps was a first for Utahns. They have never heard from the DNC. When Clinton was in the White House, he never made a public address to the people of Utah.
Democrats have become outsiders who do things to us, not insiders who do things for us. The 50 state strategy is one way to turn it around.
Even in Utah, there are thoughtful Democrats elected to office like Congressman Matheson, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, and Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon. The DNC's investment here will make sure that they retain their seats. I expect it will help Mayor Corroon get a majority of Democrats to support his policies on the Salt Lake County Council. That will show Utahns for the first time in a decade
that we have the ability to govern.I wish I had more time today to be thoughtful. But this fight is disheartening, and not productive. Chairman Dean is not going to change what he has started. Too many DNC members appreciate it. (And,
they are Dean's electorate.) I encourage you and Congressman Rahm Emmanuel to move on, and find a way to make it work for the DCCC.Wayne Holland, Jr.
Chair
Utah Democratic Party
Emmett O'Connell | May 16, 2006 | Comment on This Post (14 so far) |
UT-2
As a barometer of Democratic prospects for the 2006 Congressional elections, I am pleased to note that Utah’s lone Democratic congressman, Jim Matheson, looks to be in good shape. The Deseret News reports
Matheson, who wants a fourth term, is a Democrat in a GOP-leaning 2nd District who gets an impressive 58 percent support. Matheson, who describes himself as fiscally conservative, has more impressive numbers for a congressional Democrat in Utah: • He gets 37 percent of the Republican vote, compared to only 27 percent by state Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper; • He gets 91 percent of the Democratic vote and 75 percent of the independent vote; • And he gets 51 percent of the LDS vote.
Leo Brown | April 6, 2006 | Comment on This Post (0 so far) |
Utah Democrats Cheered by Church Letter
Don’t look for Utah to turn blue in the near future, but The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has cheered the hearts of Democrats in Utah and elsewhere with a letter that corrects some misconceptions. Here are some new reports. From the Deseret News:
Each political season, leaders of the LDS Church send out a letter to stake leaders encouraging members to be good citizens and participate in the political process. This year's letter reiterates that the church does not endorse any political candidate nor any political party. But the letter this year includes some language not in previous letters, a comparison with older such letters provided by the church's public information office shows.
"Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in the platforms of all major political parties. While the church does not endorse political candidates, platforms or parties, members are urged to be full participants in political, governmental and community affairs," the letter states.
Church spokesman Dale Bills said besides the letter itself, the church has no further comment.
Local Democrats — who have felt since the 1970s that local Republicans too often try to tie together their political and religious beliefs to the detriment of Democratic candidates — are saying this year's letter is a good turn of events.
"The Democratic Party, like The Church of Jesus Christ, believes there is a clear responsibility for society to care for the poor, help working families in their challenges of raising children and providing a decent income for them, and reach out to those in society who are often left out," Taylor said in a written statement.
"We hope members of the church will take this as an opportunity to find out more about the Democratic Party's principles that are closely connected with those of The Church of Jesus Christ and realize that the Democratic Party represents the same values shared by many Latter-day Saints."
From KSL:
Frank Pignanelli, Deseret Morning News: "I think this is huge. It's good news for democrats. It's good news for Utahns.
Democrats believe the statement could help remove a stigma, especially in rural Utah.
Wayne Holland, Chair, Utah Democratic Party: "The statement of the first presidency in our belief is a clear comfort to the many thousands of Utah LDS democrats. We're very encouraged that the principles of the democratic party and the teachings of the LDS faith are very consistent."
And from the Salt Lake Tribune:
…veteran political pollster Dan Jones said the statement is "very important" because it removes an anti-Democratic Party argument used by one segment of the LDS community.
"There are those who truly believe you cannot be a good Mormon and a Democrat, and I think this really dispels that notion," said Jones. "I think there are many Democrats in the Legislature and in public office at all levels that have encouraged the church to put out a statement."
Leo Brown | March 26, 2006 | Comment on This Post (1 so far) |
Western Primary moves forward in Utah
Moving the national conversation West:
Utah could move to the forefront of the presidential races under a bill endorsed Tuesday by a Senate committee.Senate Bill 60 would move the date of Utah's presidential primary elections to the second Tuesday of February 2008, instead of later in the year.
"The idea would be that if other western states would do the same, that way we would become a player in the presidential selection,'' said Senate Majority Leader Pete Knudson, R-Brigham City.
An early primary date -- one that coordinates with primaries in other western states -- is priority for Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has been working with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to organize a Western States Primary. Currently, the governors think Arizona and Nevada would participate, Huntsman spokesman Mike Mower said.
Emmett O'Connell | February 8, 2006 | Comment on This Post (3 so far) |
Red State Tour
Harry Ried is on his Red State Tour of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho and Nebraska. In Utah, Congressman Jim Matteson introduced Reid at the press conference as someone who "makes me proud to be a Western Democrat." Amen.
A podcast of Harry’s speech in Idaho is available here via 43rd State Blues.
Leo Brown | January 12, 2006 | Comment on This Post (1 so far) |
The West is not the South: Religion Edition
If you accept the premise of MassInc in their setup between Western Republicans and Southern Conservatives, you see it somewhat bases along the lines of religion:
...Sagebrush has had to compete with Southern Comfort for the soul of the Republican Party. One difference between the two regions is that Sagebrush seems more ambivalent toward religious conservatism. Goldwater himself expressed disdain for Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority during his last Senate term, and another senator from Arizona, John McCain, pretty much burned his bridges to fundamentalist groups during his 2000 presidential run.
But, the math problem isn't simply a libertarianism lacking religion in the West and a religious based conservatism in the South. The Sagebrush region, where that quote is taken, is only one of three political regions in the West (the other two being El Norte and the Coasts). If you take into consideration the entire West, most importantly, Idaho and Utah, and New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado, you see some very real divisions between the South and the West. Namely, Catholics and Mormons see politics differently than evangelical Protestants.
A little while back I wrote about how a Latter Day Saint like Massatuchets Governor Mitt Romney, would have problems making it through the Republican primaries, because Southern Christians don't consider him a real Christian:
The Southern Baptist Convention website categorizes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a "cult" that is "radically" different from historic, biblical Christianity. A faith guide issued by the influential Christian right group Focus on the Family declares that "God cannot be identified . . . with the Mormon religion's notion of god." The Focus on the Family website features a guide for teaching Christianity to children that lumps Mormons in with pagan worship. And each year, evangelical organizers behind the National Day of Prayer bar Mormons from speaking at their proceedings.
Colorado Luis also points to a rif between James Dobson of Focus on the Family and Catholic Senator Ken Salazar:
The last time Salazar went toe to toe with James Dobson and FoF, he pointed out anti-Catholic remarks that had been made by a member of the FoF board, and I observed at the time that Salazar was driving a wedge between Protestant fundies and the Catholics they are trying to unite under a right wing Christian banner. Today's "Eighth Commandment" reference -- which had to be explained by the Rocky's reporter for the Protestant readers -- is a return to that theme. Salazar is sending a message to his fellow Catholics that his attackers are a bunch of Protestant fundies. This won't help Focus one bit, and it probably will help give Salazar a little political cover the next time the archbishop goes after him.
I can't speak for Mormons, but I assume the one uniting political theme that brings most people of these three general faiths together is abortion. If you move beyond that, though, you see some real room to move for Democrats. In the Catholic sphere you've seen in the last couple of weeks real splits with Southern based Christian ideas of what politics is all about.
For example Catholic priest recently stood up against Bill O'Reilly on his War on Christmas theme, calling it a "very minor issue" and going on to bemoan the holiday has been hijacked by commercialization. On the immigration issue, the catholic bishops called on congress to ignore enforcement only solutions.
Emmett O'Connell | December 18, 2005 | Comment on This Post (2 so far) |
Pete Ashdown and the open-sourced campaign
Pete Ashdown has a great idea. Ashdown, the internet executive who plans to take on Orrin Hatch next year, has introduced his own campaign wiki, giving anyone with an internet connection a chance to contribute to his effort, and creating what can be called "The first open-sourced campaign."
Ashdown explains the purpose of his wiki on the site, found here:
This is where you have the power to influence my Campaign for U.S. Senate. You can help work on policy, strategize in an open forum, or simply see what needs to be done. Don't be afraid to make a mistake, I'm covering new ground every day.
For the uninitiated, wikis are collaborative pages that allow anyone to not just add content, but also edit the entries of other users. The most famous of a wiki is the encyclopedia Wikipedia, which, thanks to the combined knowledge and efforts of millions of people worldwide, has created over 831,000 articles on everything from Futurama to Chinese Art. Ashdown's wiki functions in the same way, so that anyone with an idea can contribute.
I have a feeling that Ashdown's wiki will be especially popular within the blogosphere. More importantly, if the idea proves to be successful, it could very well be the next step in internet-based campaigning.
Nathan Grossman | November 25, 2005 | Comment on This Post (30 so far) |
Matheson loved, Hatch not so much
Even in Utah, that bastion of Bush-lovers nationwide, you can point to how Western Democrats can be successful and popular. Even more popular than a conservative Republican Senator with a plus-60 approval rating is Rep. Jim Matheson (Deseret News):
GOP officeholders get decent approval ratings in a new Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson gets the highest job approval ratings from his constituents among the whole bunch.Has one of the reddest states in the Union sprung a blue leak? What is going on here?
"Matheson is just very popular among his 2nd District constituents," says pollster Dan Jones, who conducted the Nov. 10-12 survey for the newspaper and TV station.
Said Matheson: "I've always said Utahns look at the individual, not the party label. I've worked very hard, as has all of my office staff. We believe we put Utah first in everything we do."
While Matheson gets high praise from his district, statewide support for Orrin Hatch (facing a challenge from small business owner Peter Ashdown) is sagging. Facing "Someone else" Hatch actually loses 48 percent to 45 percent. So says DavidNYC at Swing State:
And even 33% of Republicans want to see Hatch gone. I'm not saying that Hatch is going to lose, or even that he's seriously endangered, but there is something quite unusual about seeing a very senior and still-popular incumbent with underwater re-elect marks. As the DMN notes: "Historically, such polls of popular Utah politicians find that more than 50 percent of their constituents want them to be re-elected."Now that doesn't surprise me. What this poll tells me is simply that there is a potentially very strong anti-incumbent wind a-brewin'. It won't be enough to knock down Orrin Hatch, but it'll leave a lot of weaker GOP politicians flat on their behinds.
I'd be remiss in not mentioning the fact that Hatch does have a bold challenger - one Pete Ashdown, an ISP owner. I gotta give anyone willing to run under such circumstances a lot of credit. And I also want to give him and his supports a tiny reed of hope. In 1988, Democrat Jim Sasser won re-election to the Senate in Tennessee by a whopping 65-35 margin. Six years later, during the Republican landslide of 1994, he lost by an astounding 56-42 to Bill Frist (yes, that Bill Frist). That's a turnaround of 44 points, in case you're counting.
I wouldn't be so fast to use Hatch as the exception that proves the anti-incumbant rule. Why couldn't Ashdown win? Aside from him way behind in money $37K to $1.7 million, who is to say that Hatch couldn't be gotten by a Matheson-type pol. And who is to say that isn't Ashdown?
Emmett O'Connell | November 22, 2005 | Comment on This Post (2 so far) |
Western Primary: UT, AZ and NM just the start
But, its a darn good start. What yesterday was all about was putting a date on the calendar, now we have to work to get other states to move their dates up. From the AP:
The governors of New Mexico and Utah will try to recruit other Rocky Mountain and Western states to hold presidential preference contests early in the 2008 presidential campaign.New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, joined with Utah Gov.
Jon Huntsman, a Republican, on Tuesday in calling for a Western regional presidential primary or caucuses on the first Tuesday in February 2008.If enough Western states hold early contests, they say, it will increase the fast-growing region's clout in picking presidential nominees.
"For too long, the West has been a flyover region and Western issues have not been emphasized," Richardson said at a news conference with Huntsman. "We had little or no impact and our issues were easily ignored. If we're successful in putting together several Western states, then that will change."
And it looks like other Western states, such as Nevada (which wouldn't have far to move), Montana and Colorado might also enter the mix:
Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn, a Republican, said Tuesday that he supported a Western presidential primary and would recommend that his successor ask legislators in 2007 to approve the proposal.Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer "is generally supportive of any measure that would bring attention to the issues of the West," said Sarah Elliott, a spokeswoman for the Democratic governor. "However, so far the Montana Legislature has not approved the idea or the necessary funding."
The Montana Legislature rejected a proposal earlier this year that would have moved the state's presidential primaries from June to February or March.
Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, a Republican, "likes the idea of a regional primary and he looks forward to seeing what the governors propose," said his spokesman, Mark Salley.
Emmett O'Connell | October 12, 2005 | Comment on This Post (1 so far) |
Western Primary: Feb 5, 2008
It's official, the Western Primary is born! From the Senate Site: Unofficial Voice of the Utah Senate Majority (GOP I assume):
This just in…Utah and New Mexico have decided to hold a Presidential Preference Primary on February 5th, 2008. Arizona already holds their primary on that day. Other states in the Intermountain West are actively discussing joining the coalition.
Utah State Democratic Party Chair Wayne Holland, and Republican Party Chair Joe Cannon will now take the initiative to their respective party central committees.
The parties need to decide if they will make the results of this primary binding upon their delegates. As you probably know, the state provides the platform (time, place, voting equipment, vote count resources, etc.) for presidential primaries, but it is up to the parties to choose if they will participate.
The legislature will also have to approve the new date.
We sincerely appreciate the leadership and teamwork of Governors Huntsman and Richardson on this issue.
While this isn't the entire deal, it puts a date on the table for everyone else to consider. The easiest states to move up would of course be the states that already have dates close to 2-5-2008. Nevada went on Feb 14 last year and Idaho and Hawaii were with Utah on Feb 24. Washington (while not as West as some would like) went on Feb 12 and could move up as well.
Even though Bill Richardson is obviously lobbying for a large Western Primary and is also obviously running for President, I wouldn't jump to conclusions that a Western Primary would benefit him over other candidates. Super Tuesday (the Southern to our Western Primary) was supposed to help nominate a centrist yellow-dog Southern Dem. But during the first Super Tuesday in 1988 Al Gore was beat by Jesse Jackson. It worked as planned in 1992 though.
Emmett O'Connell | October 11, 2005 | Comment on This Post (0 so far) |
Winning in the fly-over states
The UK's excellent newspaper, The Guardian, profiles Salt Lake City's liberal mayor - Rocky Anderson - and then draws some big conclusions about the red/blue divide in America.
Cities like Salt Lake offer a few lessons beyond political demography. First, they show that the tendency for coastal liberals to write off as rednecks those who live in "fly-over states" is not just patronising and counterproductive - it is flawed in fact.Second, they suggest the understanding of the US as a nation riven by a binary divide between Democrats and Republicans is in desperate need of nuance. Not that there isn't some truth to it. But because that truth is limited to the very narrow field of party allegiance rather than the broader sense of how people understand their lives and their politics. Gena Edvalson, a lesbian whose partner Jana is pregnant, says her neighbours in Salt Lake City couldn't be nicer. "They're going to have a baby shower for us," she says. "But that won't stop them from legislating the hell out of us." That is depressing (two-thirds of Utahns voted for a gay marriage ban in November). But it also suggests potential.
Which brings us to the third, and most important, lesson. If those coastal liberals decided to drop in rather than fly over once in a while they might actually learn something. Rather than duck tough issues because of the hostile political environment, progressives here have tried to reframe them in a way that resonates with potential allies. "We don't talk about gay liberation in Utah," says Anderson. "We talk about healthy families and strong communities and say that in the most intimate aspects of our lives the government ought to butt out. You have to stand up even at the risk of losing races - some things are more important than winning a race."
Couldn't have said it better ourselves.
Kari Chisholm | October 5, 2005 | Comment on This Post (14 so far) |
There is a breaking point between Baptists and Mormons
If you were to pick an institution that could be described as the "soul" of Southern conservatism, it would be the Southern Baptist Convention. If you searched the West for a similar religious institution, you would find the Church of Latter Day Saints. Outside of some of the folks here at westerndemocrat.com, many assume that the West and the South share a lot, including deep religious faiths, and that Democrats need to be careful campaigning out here.
I've pointed out several differences between the West and the South, and here is one more: Mormons are not Baptists. Even more, Baptists don't like Mormons all the much. With the pre-campaign of Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gaining speed, this issue is coming to light:
But many believe he has virtually no chance of ever capturing the party's nomination.Here's the problem: Romney is a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormons.
The Southern Baptist Convention website categorizes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a "cult" that is "radically" different from historic, biblical Christianity. A faith guide issued by the influential Christian right group Focus on the Family declares that "God cannot be identified . . . with the Mormon religion's notion of god." The Focus on the Family website features a guide for teaching Christianity to children that lumps Mormons in with pagan worship. And each year, evangelical organizers behind the National Day of Prayer bar Mormons from speaking at their proceedings.
Given that the South has become a GOP stronghold in recent presidential races, many, including Romney himself, believe Romney's religion would emerge as an issue there should he seek to become the 44th president.
Emmett O'Connell | September 16, 2005 | Comment on This Post (10 so far) |
Lowering Western Primary expectations
Utah's Governor Jon Huntsman (R) is saying that the number of state's that will participate in a likely to participate in the Western Primary will be three (UT, NM and AZ) and not six (take out MT, CO and WY). On a purely partisan basis, this isn't really bad news because two of the three states left are arguably stronger Democratic states that the ones that Huntsman now says aren't likely.
But, this isn't a partisan thing. If it was, I would be arguing for one big primary in the Northeast or a Pacific Coast primary to boost Democrats in places we are already strong. But, one of the points of the Western Primary is that it would help transform the Democratic Party from a Northeast/Pacific Coast party to a party from (partly) the West. Whichever Republican that said "...Democrats (in Utah) could be hurt because national candidates tend to be more liberal" is wrong in outlining the effects of a Western Primary. Only a certain type of Democratic candidate would bother spending time out West. Having a Western Primary at all, especially a big one, would even change who would be running to begin with.
If you make the path for the Presidency run West, you change the party.
So, I would argue that including some deep Red Western states where Democrats have shown some success (such as Wyoming with Gov. Dave and Montana with the big Schweitzer) is a vital part of the entire Western Primary.
Emmett O'Connell | August 31, 2005 | Comment on This Post (2 so far) |
Democrats in Utah called Saints
Not just in Utah, but across the West from Idaho to even rural Washington counties, those crazy Mormons hold sway in politics. No Democrat will win statewide in Utah without convincing a good number of Saints that they have good stuff.
But, what a lot of Republicans overlook is that being a Mormon in the West isn't the same as being a Baptist in the South. Like Catholics, for one thing, Mormons have a very strong social care ethic that can be translated into not so Republican politics.
Better said in the New West:
“Thinking out of the box can help win elections. A leftist Utah is a fantasy, but a moderate Utah is doable...Ben McAdams, a corporate security lawyer who lives in New York City, proudly identifies himself as both a Mormon and a Democrat. He points out that the Democratic party ruled Utah in the late 1800s, so Mormon leaders began a campaign to encourage Utah’s faithful to vote Republican. “They saw a need for a two party system,” McAdams says. “I’ve seen the church taking similar steps today.” He explains how a high-level church leader made sure a photo of him standing with Sen. Reid was widely published to demonstrate that “you can be a good Mormon and a Democrat.”
McAdams says that in order to recruit Mormon voters, the Democratic Party needs to convince voters that individual candidates do not represent the standard black and white platform issues. “One of the challenges is to convince people that you can vote based on a candidate, and core set of issues,” he says. “Just because you vote for a Democrat, doesn’t mean you have to support everything every Democrat ever said.”
While the Democrats may not have a big toe hold right now in the LDS church, it does say a lot that among Western Democrats, LDS members have a pretty big strong hold. Among their ranks include the strongest Democrat in Utah (well, duh) and arguably, the most powerful Dem in DC, Harry Reid. And, while he might not be the most famous Udall, Tom Udall of New Mexico isn't a dullard either.
Emmett O'Connell | July 14, 2005 | Comment on This Post (3 so far) |
More Utah convention stuff
Brian has two great posts on the convention in Utah, here and here. He also points to another post by Oldenberg at The Third Avenue on Reid's speech at the JJ Dinner.
Here's a bit of Brian's notes from the JJ Dinner speach:
# Democrats lost in 2004 because Democrats gave up on winning over rural America.
# Only 9% of Nevada is rural, but every rural county had voter turnout 84% or better.
# Kerry won the two urban counties, but Bush ran up four to one and six to one majorities in rural Nevada.
# Democrats are best for rural America, but we haven't put rural issues and rural Americans at the front of our agenda.
# Republicans represent the bankers and Democrats represent the farmers.
# Democrats care about getting everyone health care and Republicans don't .
# Democrats are good for business. The economy is better under Democratic presidents than Republicans, just look at Clinton and Bush for examples.
# Bush has taken us from surplus to deficit and lost more American jobs than we created for the first time since the Depression.
# The Bush budget is immoral. It shifts money from quality of life, children, and the needy to big business.
# A long list of mainline churches wrote a letter declaring the Bush Budget immoral.
# Bush cuts adult education 75%. Bush cuts hurt firefighters, teachers, scientists. Bush cuts student loans.
# James Dobson does not represent true Christian values.
# "Dobson, focus on your own **** family."
# Bush sent soldiers to Iraq without proper equipment and armor. Democrats fought for proper equipment.
# Dems created Homeland Security Dept. and 9-11 commission. Bush fought against national security.
# We're laying the cornerstone of a Democratic future today.
# Keep working and don't forget that eventually we're building a cathedral.
# House of our future will "not fall for it is founded upon the rock."
Emmett O'Connell | May 9, 2005 | Comment on This Post (3 so far) |