OREM, Utah — Hello from the Utah GOP convention! Thousands of Republican delegates are here to elect new party officers and consider some new governing rules. Here's FOX 13 News' live blog of what is happening:
4:56p-
In an interview with reporters, newly re-elected Utah Republican Party Chair Rob Axson said he wanted to work on building the party and committed to work with "all Republicans." Asked if he could attribute his win to President Trump's endorsement, Axson told FOX 13 News: "I was very grateful to have earned the support of President Trump. I was grateful to have earned the support of Congressman Kennedy, Congressman Owens and Senator Lee."
Axson also pointed out he personally called every GOP delegate to seek their support and hear their concerns.
Asked about the talk of eliminating signature-gathering for candidates to wind up on the ballot, Axson appeared to take a step back.
"I'm not a fan of the signature path, I believe in the caucus convention system and the delegate path," he told reporters. "But you notice the message i brought is not lawsuits, not division, not purity tests. It’s building something that can’t be ignored."
4:21p-
Party officer election results:
Party Chair -
Rob Axson 1,340
Phil Lyman 1,215
Party Secretary -
Olivia Dawn Horlacher Williams 1,127
Stafford Palmieri Sievert 1,430
3:44p-
We will have election results soon. Meanwhile, the party's finance chair announces they have raised a record-breaking $3 million for the Utah GOP over the past two years.
3:14p-
Gov. Spencer Cox is apparently a no-show at today's Utah GOP convention (he has been booed by delegates in past appearances). A panel discussion with Utah State Auditor Tina Cannon, Utah State Treasurer Marlo Oaks and House Speaker Mike Schultz is taking place on stage.
3:09p-
In response to the Utah Republican Party's talk about eliminating SB54, Count My Vote (which supports signature-gathering and the dual path to the ballot) gave FOX 13 News a statement:
“Even after 11 years, a few self-interested politicians and Party insiders still don’t seem to understand or want to accept the fact that the Utah GOP doesn’t belong to them; the Party belongs to and derives its power from all Utah Republican voters.
The vast majority of Utah voters, especially Republicans, strongly support SB54’s dual path to the ballot. It’s dramatically increased voter participation and generated more accountable and competitive elections.
Count My Vote remains committed to our mission and is prepared to take whatever action necessary to ensure that all Utah voters will continue to have a voice in our elections.”
2:54p-
While we wait for the results of the party officer positions, Utah's congressional delegation is appearing on the stage. Congressman Blake Moore and Congresswoman Celeste Maloy are stuck in DC and send video messages. Congressmen Mike Kennedy and Burgess Owens are appearing on a panel with Carolyn Phippen.
2:38p-
While the votes are cast, Sen. Mike Lee takes the stage. He says the Republican Party faces "a wall" that traps them and rips into SB54, the law that allows signature-gathering candidates to earn a spot on the ballot. He calls for a special session to restore the caucus/convention system only. (While he is a delegate favorite, worth pointing out Sen. Lee has filed to gather signatures in past campaigns.)
Delegates appear to be distracted, given that they are still voting.
Sen. John Curtis pops up on stage to some mild applause from the convention. He thanks delegates for giving up their Saturday. He repeats some of the highlights of his recent maiden speech on the Senate floor, talking about debt and deficit, public lands, energy, etc. I'm seeing delegates voting and heading for the exits, having spent much of their Saturday here.
2:21p-
The delegates are utilizing paper ballots this convention.
2:10p-
Current Utah Republican Party Chair Rob Axson is introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, beloved by delegates, who gives a full-throated endorsement of his term. I see delegates perk up.
Axson, who was also endorsed by President Trump, says "I believe in this party and I always have and I am committed to building this party." Axson defends his record and he starts earning applause from the delegate crowd. He warns the left is pouring money into ballot initiatives and "other efforts to turn Utah blue."
Axson says he still supports the caucus/convention system but "the law is the law." He calls for a repeal of SB54 (which allows for signature gathering) but adds "I am not willing to break the law." He says "strength comes through building not burning." Axson notes his endorsement by President Trump and wins some applause.
There are loud cheers for Phil Lyman, the former state representative and gubernatorial candidate. He starts describing his political journey.
Lyman invokes Christ's parables, saying "I believe in liberty, I believe in freedom." He says if he lived in the days of the Founding Fathers, he would have been involved because he believes in "pushing back against a government that doesn't have their interests at heart." He also makes reference to the Salem Witch Trials, talking about division.
"As we go forward, from this point, we will be united," Lyman says. He acknowledges the endorsements for his opponent and says "this is a time for you, today you will decide what direction this party takes." That earns him some cheers from the delegates.
Now the voting.
1:55p-
We are now at party officer elections. Each candidate gets three minutes to speak. The only two contested races are for party secretary and party chair.
Olivia Dawn Horlacher Williams, a GOP secretary candidate (and former party secretary), is first to the stage. She immediately criticizes current party leadership in her remarks, winning some applause.
"This isn't a question about politics, this is a question about trust," she tells the delegates, urging them to vote for her and Phil Lyman as party chair to some loud cheers.
Stafford Palmier Sievert is next on stage, saying if someone is running on a platform to tear others down, "you have no ideas of your own." She defends her record as current party secretary, saying she has accomplished a lot in her time.
1:37p-
A proposed platform amendment to the Utah GOP's "right to life" anti-abortion plank to express support for adoption passes. A proposed platform amendment opposing government-owned or managed broadband networks (like UTOPIA) fails. A proposed platform amendment expressing support for the caucus/convention system passes.
1:22p-
A proposed bylaw on the State Central Committee's quorum was stricken at the request of the sponsor. A proposed bylaw on SCC eligibility will be in conflict with the party's constitution, the convention chair declares. Neil Sebring explains his bylaw is to restrict public elected officials, their staffers and lobbyists from serving on the SCC. He objects to those that "can sway the party from the inside" and giving them "more levels of power."
"Let's save some of those seats to guide and direct our party for those who are grassroots," Sebring says.
After a spirited debate complete with cheers and boos, the proposed bylaw on SCC eligibility fails.
1:07p-
The delegates disagree with the convention chair and resurrect Lowell Nelson's resolution. Essentially, it would allow for an interpretation of Republican votes from based on a number of Republican votes cast (which goes into determining how delegate seats are allocated). But in the case of gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman (who launched a write-in campaign) it impacted how many Republican votes were cast. After a lively debate that somewhat re-litigated the gubernatorial primary election (Lyman won the GOP convention nomination but lost to Governor Spencer Cox, who gathered signatures), the resolution passes.
12:51p-
The Utah GOP is now considering resolutions. Christine Brown is up to propose a resolution on fair property taxes. She says property taxes must stay "affordable, fair and predictable." The resolution calls on elected representatives to consider policies that only adjust property taxes with inflation. The resolution fails.
Matthew Drachman proposed a resolution to direct federal and state officials to promote term limits and condemn actions allowing a President to serve longer than two terms. Drachman says "this is not about a popularity contest, this is about the sanctity of the Constitution." A delegate speaks against it and says he views it as a "counter-signal to President Trump," arguing it is not the right time to consider it. A delegate in favor of it says it's important to affirm "this is the party of limited government." A delegate says it adds term limits to Congress to the national party platform, opposing it, saying she believes President Trump will not seek a third term. A woman speaks in favor of it, invoking the late Sen. Orrin Hatch and says Utah should impose term limits for senators, governors, etc.
The resolution fails.
A third resolution on interpreting Republican votes has been ruled "out of order" by the convention chair.
12:32p-
Bob McEntee has a proposed amendment to change the quorum for the State Central Committee to a majority (but no less than 50 people) to conduct business. He says their business is backed up and there's a lot of people who simply don't show up to SCC meetings.
A delegate speaks against it saying it "allows a minority to make changes." Another delegate says SCC members have halted meetings just by walking out and this would force them to stay. A delegate opposes it saying when they did similar in the past "special meetings were called" and people "manipulate the rules and twist the rules."
After a spirited debate and some very close floor votes, convention organizers ordered a hand-count. The amendment fails because it did not reach the two-thirds majority — 1,632 yes and 909 no out of 2,541 votes cast.
12:07p-
A proposed constitutional amendment allowing counties to combine precincts to create larger precincts has been postponed as it was part of a package deal with the previous amendment.
Mac Sims proposes an amendment on "Relative Republican Strength" to assign delegates based on Republicans casting votes in a precinct. Sims says they don't want "non-Republicans coming to our caucus" or voting in primaries, but "Republicans should count." A delegate speaks against it, saying the amendment strips their input from areas with less Republicans in general.
The amendment fails.
Aaron Bullen proposes an amendment limiting candidacy to Republicans who have voted Republican in at least the past election.
"In order to run as a Republican, you should be a Republican for more than a day," Bullen says, adding it's for "at least one year." He says there was a problem where a Democrat registered as a Republican in a special election to fill a seat. One delegate calls it a "feel good type thing that doesn't accomplish much." After some debate, the amendment passes.
11:44a-
Lesa Sandberg proposes an amendment to move the GOP budgeting process to a "federal fiscal year." She says it's "non-controversial." No one speaks against it. It passes.
Aaron Bullen has a proposed amendment to change the definition of precinct, delineating the definitions of "government precinct" and "party precinct." He says it will help with "micro-precincts." A man urges the crowd to vote against it, saying it is an "attack from within" when it comes to picking candidates.
"When is consolidating power ever good for a Republican?" one delegate says to some cheers.
Others argue that finding a caucus is tough and it allows county party chairs and executive committees to define a precinct.
"We're not redrawing our own lines completely," one delegate says, adding that it "improves the caucus experience."
Bullen summarizes, joking: "I really don't think I'm trying to destroy the party here." He says "this conspiracy theory is not occurring." He says his amendment would help people would caucus together and it's "a simple change."
The amendment fails.
11:33a-
Delegates are considering a proposed amendment to change the threshold for modifying party bylaws and platform. Bob McEntee, who is sponsoring it, urges support saying it allows delegates to change things. A delegate speaks against it, claiming any decisions rendered by the convention on platform amendments would be subject to litigation because of ambiguity. After a little more debate, it passes.
11:24a-
Wright is keeping a strict time schedule as they now debate proposed constitutional amendments. He limits debate to 6 minutes. If there's no one to speak for/against, he will move on to a direct vote. Party officer elections have been delayed until they vote on all the proposed amendments.
11:15a-
A motion is made to move the party business (amendments, resolutions and bylaws) ahead of the party officer elections. There's a lot of grumblings in the crowd as people debate this (it could lead to some long hours in the convention).
"Pleading with people to stay here is not going to do anything," one delegate tells the crowd.
Someone calls the question, ending debate. That passes.
The motion to move the party business before party officer elections passes overwhelmingly.
Someone then makes a motion to make a lunch break in the middle of party business. There are groans from the delegates. That motion fails because there is no second.
The sponsor of an amendment to revoke party membership for signature-gathering candidates has abruptly withdrawn the amendment saying "it's not the right time, but the right time will be coming." He's facing some opposition from delegate who want to "return the power" back to them.
The proposed amendment to strike the amendment on party membership passes overwhelmingly.
11:01a-
The nays are having it. Rule modifications by delegates rejected. Next up, proposals to move the proposed party constitutional amendments up before election results. Some delegates have complained that they're avoiding business (because by the time they get around to it, they've lost a quorum and can't do business).
The proposal to move up the amendments passes to cheers from the crowd.
10:51a-
There are 2,577 delegates so far — about 65% of the total registered Republican delegates in the state. Delegates now are debating the rules and agenda. The crowd cheers for a man who spoke against an agenda modification, reminding the delegates that they were here until midnight last night. Someone who spoke in favor of the modification got tepid applause, signaling those might not win this fight.
BTW, convention chair Thomas Wright gave a shout out to the media covering the event. We got polite applause.
10:44a-
As the Utah GOP convention gets under way and delegates consider a proposal to oust Republicans who gather signatures, Count My Vote (which has advocated for signature-gathering) sent this text to all delegates:
10:40a-
Spotted at the Utah GOP convention:
10:31a-
The big things to watch for at the Utah GOP convention are the race for party chair and a proposed rule that threatens to temporarily kick Republicans out of the party who gather signatures to appear on the ballot, instead of just going through the caucus-convention system. That would impact a lot of Republicans currently in office. It's unclear if delegates will get to it.
