OGDEN, Utah — Hello from the Utah Democratic Party convention! Hundreds of delegates are here to pick new leadership and vote on a party platform. Follow along with our live blog of today's happenings:
5:37p-
In an interview with FOX 13 News, newly-elected Utah Democratic Party Chair Brian King spoke about what he took from delegates in this election.
"I think they’re looking for something different, Ben. I think they’re looking for something that speaks to their needs," he said.
King said he believes more people are turning to the Democratic party as they're tired of Trump and the Utah legislature.
"Quite honestly, the Republicans are really helping us in what they’re doing in both the national and the state level. Because the stuff they’re doing simply doesn’t reflect Utah values," he said.
As far as what he will do as chair of a super-minority party in deep red state Utah? King said he will get to work hiring staffers, recruiting candidates and said he would do a better job at voter outreach.
"You flood the zone with communication about what our values are as Democrats and you make sure people understand we’re the ones standing up for the things most important to them," he said. "You have to go places where Democrats have been a little unwilling to go before."
3:50p-
Results from the party officer elections:
Chair
Archie Williams III
Brian King 52%
Jonathan Lopez
Ben Peck
Vice-Chair
Susan Merrill 52%
Oscar Mata
Dr. Tulinda Larsen
Secretary
Elizabeth Weight
Deidra Ritchhart
Katie Adams-Anderton
Brad Dickter 56%
Treasurer
Katie Long
Catherine Voutaz 77%
Platform and resolutions approved by delegates. We don't have the full vote totals as the party leaders only announced the winners from the stage. We will update once we get them.
2:30p-
Voting for party officers has now closed. We should get results soon.
2:24p-
As the platform debate continues, a delegate complains the current party platform is a lot of platitudes and says it's "generic."
Looks like that is the last word on it. Voting opens now on the platform and resolutions.
2:18p-
One delegate speaks against the resolutions and any changes to the platform. He doesn't support "adding more" and says the current platform is "fantastic."
No one else speaks either for or against. A member of the platform committee speaks about the dangers of it being weaponized to "burn the party to the ground." He argues the platform is brief, focused on common values.
Another delegate complains the platform "doesn't clearly say anything about corruption in government" and asks to add something about that. A member of the party platform committee says it was not submitted in advance, but they can add it at a future convention.
This will be an up or down vote.
2:09p-
The Utah Democratic Party convention has reconvened (with a lot fewer delegates in the audience) to discuss their official party platform and resolutions. One resolution is "condemning efforts to extend Presidential tenure beyond two terms" and the other is "condemning mass workforce reductions and benefit cuts in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs."
12:53p-
The convention has recessed for party officer voting and multi-county House District party officer races. It is a ranked choice voting election and being done electronically.
12:44p-
Voting is about to get under way!
As I mentioned before, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was supposed to be the keynote speaker. He was unable to make it because of budget issues with his state's legislature, so he sent a video message instead.
12:40p-
Incumbent-treasurer candidate Kathy Long takes the stage, speaking about living in Cedar City and asking the party to come together for "rural and urban Utah." She says she's a bookkeeper and jokes the party "is currently solvent."
"It's great we don't have to rely on credit cards to pay for things anymore," Long says, adding that "financial information is probably about as exciting as golf stats." She tells delegates she works hard to let them know what's happening with the money.
Treasurer candidate Catherine Voutaz takes the stage and says she's been an accountant since 1984, going over her background for the delegate.
"I can bring to this party a level of transparency and accountability that others have not been able to do," she says, adding there's opportunity for Utah Democrats. She says she works on party recruitment and is even hearing from "Republicans who are tired and ready for change."
12:33p-
Incumbent party secretary candidate Elizabeth Weight gives a speech touching on issues Democrats care about, including the state party organization.
"We feel stronger when we're together. It's contagious," she says, giving a very civics-minded speech about what the party does, asking delegates to let her continue the work she's done.
Deidra Ritchhart speaks to the delegates, talking about her experience and describing herself "not your typical Democrat," because she will support "all Democrats."
"It's time that the state party stands up and funds and supports our candidates," she says.
Katie Adams-Anderton takes the stage and is endorsed by Rep. Ashlee Matthews, D-Kearns, (whose campaign Adams-Anderton ran). Rep. Matthews' infant son grabs her delegate credential and begins playing with it as she speaks.
"We deserve more than what we're currently getting at this time," Adams-Anderton tells delegates, touting her successes in elections and work within the party (when she points out election successes in Utah County — the beating heart of the Utah GOP — she gets some cheers from delegates).
Brad Dickter takes the stage and is introduced by his wife, who talks about his work to elect Democrats and his ability to "sooth political tensions" from intra-party fighting.
"I actually want to talk about you," he says to the delegates. Dickter thanks his fellow candidates in the race, but says he wants to talk about why he's the best candidate. He says he'll give them information and resources, if elected.
12:14p-
Vice-Chair candidate Susan Merrill is introduced by former congressional candidate Kael Weston who gives a speech touting her rural chops (she lives in Cedar City).
"It's time for a presence outside the Wasatch Front," she says, calling for a stable, connected presence from the Utah Democratic Party. Merrill tells delegates she wants to see satellite offices and even different messaging for rural areas.
Oscar Mata takes the stage with his supporters. He's endorsed by Davis County Democratic Party Chair Danielle Sikes, who says "he has a solid plan and is working with the DNC" to build the party outside of Salt Lake County. He also gets a plug from the former chair of the Weber County Democratic Party.
"I'm f—ing pissed!" Mata tells the crowd, appearing to surprise some delegates with the language, outlining Republican policies that he very much disagrees with, earning applause and loud cheers from the crowd. He goes on, outlining his plans to raise money and win elections "from Cache to Kane."
Dr. Tulinda Larsen takes the stage and is endorsed by Sen. Kathleen Riebe, D-Cottonwood Heights, former Rep. Rosemary Lesser and former Utah Attorney General candidate Greg Skordas.
"Democracy is under attack," she says. "We are at war. Our party chairs and candidates are being put out on the front lines to fight with no resources..."
Larsen says she's been in the room with leadership "on both sides," touting her experience and urging delegates to "imagine what we can do together." Loud cheers as she wraps her speech.
11:59a-
In the party chair race, Archie Williams III (a perennial candidate) and declares himself a "pro-life Democrat" to some boos from the crowd. He starts criticizing his own party and some in the crowd start jeering. Williams urges them to "try something different" and "wake up and look at what's going on because we are not winning."
Williams wraps up, urging Democrats to stand together.
Brian King comes out to cheers from the crowd.
"We're at a crossroads," he tells the crowd, saying the choices they make today "define our state for years to come." He gives a very delegate-friendly speech, declaring "Republicans are serious about hurting people and we need to be just as serious about protecting them."
King says he's running as chair because he believes Utahns need a party "that doesn't whisper our values" to loud cheers from the delegates.
"This is an all-in job and I'm here for every single part of it," he says, adding he will "get his hands dirty and fill up my calendar." He says he's "raised real money" and has relationships across Utah. King says he's spoke out on the House floor and taken on Gov. Cox.
Jonathan Lopez takes the stage with a joke: "Why did the Democrat cross the road?"
"To canvass the other side," he says.
Lopez starts making jokes about King, then says the party is at "rock bottom" and accuses the state party of not putting resources in places where they should be winning like, Cache and Weber counties. He says they've barely held on to Grand County.
"We're stuck in old patterns with the same leaders and the same losing strategies," he says.
Lopez goes back to attacking King, saying he lost Salt Lake County in his governor's race.
Lopez goes on to attack Ben Peck saying "can you imagine what the GOP will say?" criticizing Peck's progressive politics. Lopez insists as chair he'd work to get candidates elected, attacking the "out of touch elitists" in the party who allowed Trump and others to be elected.
"I'm running for real leadership and organization," Lopez tells the crowd, asking to be ranked first choice in the party voting.
Loud cheers for Ben Peck as he takes the stage. He's introduced by Salt Lake County Council member Natalie Pinkney, who fires up the crowd by asking "are we going to win Utah Democrats?"
"WIN BIG!" she says, endorsing Peck.
He takes the microphone, saying he grew up in a house of Republicans. He explains why he's a Democrat.
"I'm running for chair because we can't afford to lose. We've seen what happens when we are on this losing streak," he tells the delegates.
Peck talks about his campaign successes within the Salt Lake County Democratic Party to cheers. He notes his track record of winning campaigns.
"When people tell me Democrats can't win in Utah? I just point to my record," he says. "Together, we can win across Utah."
Peck leaves to loud cheers as the vice-chair candidates begin to give their speeches.
11:38a-
Lewis tells the crowd the new leadership of the Democratic National Committee will now give Utah's party about $22,000 a month where they previously gave only $15,000 a month.
Carlos Vasquez, the party's Rules Committee Chair, announces the party has 2,343 delegates and 553 appearing in-person.
11:29a-
"It has been the privilege of my lifetime to serve as your chair these last four years," UDP Chair Diane Lewis says, beginning her farewell speech to delegates.
She says there's been some good times and some "really, really rough times."
"McMullin!" someone in the audience shouts, an apparent reference to the time Utah Democrats opted not to advance a U.S. Senate candidate to bolster the odds of then-independent candidate Evan McMullin. Lewis continues talking, noting the successes of Utah Democrats in the legislature and expansion statewide.
"They fought for affordable housing, for health care access, for clean air, for education funding," she says. "Do we still have their backs?"
The audience cheers.
Lewis urges the crowd to keep talking to those "who might disagree with us" even though it's hard. She implores the crowd that no matter who wins, "we must support them." She asks the crowd to commit to rallying around whomever is elected new chair.
"The challenges ahead are real, but so is our strength," Lewis says, calling on the delegates to be "louder, stronger" than ever before.
Lewis gets a lot of applause and someone shouts "Thank you, Diane!"
11:22a-
After the "Star Spangled Banner," a Native American land acknowledgment, and an opening prayer, the Utah Democrats are getting down to business. Outgoing UDP Chair Diane Lewis is running the convention.
A lone "woo!" greets Weber County Democratic Party Chair Jeremy Thompson as he takes the stage.
"It's unnecessary," he jokes.
He calls on the soon-to-be elected Democratic party leadership to be accountable "to the people and not to the money," as they push to make Utah "purple" and gets some applause for that. The loudest cheers come when there's criticism of President Trump and oligarchy.
"Now is not the time for fractures or infighting," he says. "Our democracy is at stake."
He calls on Democrats to get active and donate to candidates.
11:11a-
Delegates have filed into the auditorium of Ogden High School for the start of the convention. They'll get right to it with party officer elections. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who was scheduled to be the keynote speaker, had to drop out. We're told he hard to remain home to deal with budget issues with the Illinois legislature.
