TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — The Forward Party sees the potential for growth and more of a foothold in Utah politics in the upcoming elections.
"Forward Party is thrilled about what Utah is demonstrating is possible. This is going to be someplace we invest in very heavily in part to show other states what is possible," businessman, former presidential candidate and Forward Party co-founder Andrew Yang said in an interview Saturday with FOX 13 News.
Yang appeared at the Forward Party of Utah's state convention on Saturday, where he urged the crowd of several hundred to get more involved and buck the two-party system. He blasted President Trump as an "accelerant to the disintegration of our institutions" and questioned if Republicans and Democrats could solve any problem for Americans. Instead, he urged continued involvement and investment in the Forward Party.
For many who attended Saturday's convention, they were unhappy with the direction of either major party.
"I just left the Republican Party," said Mary Ann Kirk. "I'm exploring other options that I think are more middle road, more common sense."
Anna Nizhoni, who sported one of Yang's "Make America Think Harder" hats, said she believes the Forward Party is a good place for her.
"I think there’s a lot of space for something like this and it’s time. There’s a lot of vitriol in politics and I think it’s necessary to show these voices matter and it’s here," she said.
The Forward Party of Utah, which bills itself as an independent alternative to Republicans and Democrats, got a big jump when it merged with the centrist United Utah Party. The third party has a single member of the Utah State Legislature: Sen. Emily Buss, FWD-Eagle Mountain.
"A third party can be effective in such a strong Republican chokehold," she said, pointing to bills she passed this year in the Utah State Legislature as a caucus of one.
Sen. Buss was celebrated by the crowd at Saturday's convention even as she acknowledged a tough fight for re-election. But this year, the party is running 24 candidates in races up and down the ballot.
"Voters have been very open. There’s a lot of independents," said Annette McRae, who is running for a state Senate seat that stretches across a portion of eastern Utah. "There’s a lot of independent voters out there."
But in some instances, Forwardists opted not to support their own registered candidate and instead back others in the race. It happened with a legislative seat in the Logan area and in the newly-created 1st Congressional District. Party Chair Michelle Quist told FOX 13 News that is what the party's voters chose "and we listen to our voters."
"In each particular race, either the party didn’t want to act as a spoiler, or we didn’t have the resources for the race or we wanted to focus on the legislative races at the time," she said.
On Saturday, Forwardists voted on party priorities (proposals ranged from affordable housing and data privacy to water conservation and saving the Great Salt Lake) and discussed ways to organize county-level parties, with plans to start one soon in Republican-heavy Washington County.
Yang said he envisions a bright future for the Forward Party in Utah politics.
"Here in Utah? We think we can not be the third party, but the second party to create meaningful competition in the state," he told FOX 13 News.
Asked if he intends another run for President in the future, Yang wouldn't exactly answer.
"People here in Utah and Americans around the country sense our politics is getting worse not better, and that’s what we need to turn around," he said, adding: "I'm going to do what I think is going to contribute to the well being of this country for my kids, for your kids. I ran for President on the idea that AI was going to upend our economy and eviscerate millions of jobs. Unfortunately that’s coming to pass. And I do not see our leaders having to address that or any of the other problems that are getting worse, not better."
