Democrats have been calling this the year of change for Utah. But, so far, it has been another year of business as usual, particularly within GOP ranks where the indignation about incumbent arrogance and business conflicts has mostly come to nothing.Not that the Democrats haven't given it their best shot. As the Tribune's Robert Gehrke reports, the Dems even tried to bribe a few Republicans to defect by promising to fill the lawmakers' campaign accounts if they switched parties. Most turned them down. Only pro-education David Hogue, who was thinking of switching anyway, took the money to improve his chances of reclaiming his old seat from Rep. Carl Wimmer.
For you romantics who thinks that things change when constituents get fed up with lawmakers who treat them like gum on their shoes for tossing the Lege's pet voucher program, the Deseret News' political editor Bob Bernick is there to burst your bubble:
But after all the convention voting was done — in 29 county conventions and the state conventions — any incumbent push-back because of vouchers had vanished.
And anti-voucher Democrats, Republicans and even independents who may have come into the party nominating system found themselves sitting on the sidelines as the incumbent Republicans rolled to victory.
Outside of the voucher issue, even embattled archconservative Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, won renomination to his district in the Salt Lake County Convention.
Buttars' victory was the real shocker for those who believed that the Utah Republican Party could purge itself of questionable incumbents.
Republican Sen. Chris Buttars, of course, enraged many when he disparaged a bill by calling it "a black baby ... a dark, ugly thing." Buttars also honked off his own party leaders when he used his position as chairman of the judicial confirmation committee to dress down a state judge who ruled against a Buttars' crony.
On the bright side, "Atom Aaron" Tilton — who was trying to build a nuclear power plant while serving on a committee that regulated the same — got the bum's rush.
4 Comments:
So Glen,
Lets look a little farther down the line. Do the Dems have great candidates this cycle, YES! Do the Dems have the best technology for GOTV!, Do the Dems have the best fund raising system with ACTBLUE, YES! Do the Dems have the best grassroots organization with UEA and other Labor Unions, YES! Is the country really pissed off at the Republican Party including Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives, YES! Will Obama crush McCain in the Presidential Election, and Congress will be stacked in both the Senate and House with strong Dem majorities, YES! Will Hillary Clinton be rewarded with the Senate Majority Position so we will have Democrat Women leading the House and Senate, YES!
Will this make a bit of difference here in Utah Politics, NOPE!
The Dems will not pick up a single seat in the House that they weren't already projected, maybe Houge but don't hold your breath. Carlene Walker may be in trouble this time around, too bad she is one of the hardest working up there. No folks the truth is that only one race, just one will change the landscape for the foreseeable future here in Utah. The election is Salt Lake County Council seat 4. Mark Crockett has enemies on both sides of the aisle and will likely go down to the Democrat challenger. This will shift the power of the Council to 5-4 Democrat. You will see stuff shoved down the Republicans throat with no Republican Mayor to veto anything. I predict this will be the only major success the Dems have this cycle here in Utah, and I will be willing to stand on a Democrat Fund raiser stage and take a pie in the face for each Democrat that takes a Republican's position.
Captain Mark Towner
What a bunch a crap from a crapo reporter.
The Democrats are winning.
Everyday they step closer to our majority.
They're gonna win.
Lemon,
What???
Try again and make yourself clear this time
Democrats bribing candidates? Where's the public outrage at this corrupt practice? No news here. It's just business as usual for the Democrats in Utah. Can't win on your ideas, then try to buy the vote.
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