Veteran lawmaker defeated in Salt Lake County convention
S.L. County Democratic party members predict victories this fall
Sen. Fred Fife, D-Salt Lake, was defeated by newcomer Luz Robles in Senate District 1, a Democratic stronghold on Salt Lake City's west side.
County Democrats were large in number and enthusiastic at Saturday's convention at Jordan High School in Sandy.
"Democrats win in this county," Salt Lake County Councilman Randy Horiuchi shouted to a packed auditorium. Horiuchi seeks re-election to his county-wide district this year.
But for Fife, his elected days may be over. A former House member in his first term in the state Senate, Fife appeared to be outworked and outspent by Robles, who has already raised $28,000, mostly in small donations.
"I'm looking forward to bringing more energy" to the district, which includes the Rose Park, Glendale and Poplar Grove neighborhoods, Robles said. "We are ready to take not only Senate District 1, but the White House. It's a great year to be a Democrat."
While Senate District 1 has historically been a safe Democratic seat, it was held by a Republican in the early 2000s, and Robles now faces Salt Lake City Councilman Carlton Christensen, who is the Republican nominee.
The Democrats also nominated a new county party chairman Saturday after Christian Burridge abruptly resigned last week. Former party vice chairman Weston Clark will now lead the party.
Bob Springmeyer, the Democratic Party leaders' choice to run against GOP Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. this year, seemed to feed off of the energy at Saturday's Democratic convention.
"We can win this thing," said Springmeyer, a business consultant. Holding up a pen, Springmeyer told the Democrats that he would use it to veto "any bill that comes out of a closed (Republican legislative) caucus."
"This pen would have vetoed vouchers so we wouldn't have had to waste all that money. This pen would have vetoed the omnibus education bill that takes money away from our kids."
Last year's private school voucher fight cost millions of dollars, money better spent in educating Utah public school children, Springmeyer said. The GOP-controlled Legislature passed the voucher bill, and Huntsman signed it. But a citizen referendum got the new law on the ballot, and Utahns voted vouchers down.
Springmeyer promised to use the governor's pen to sign executive orders. In a Springmeyer administration, new and remodeled state buildings would have to meet green energy requirements. The state fleet would get better mileage and emissions standards, he said.
Springmeyer has been told that he "had no chance in hell of winning" against the popular Huntsman. "But I feel the energy" of a Democrat year, not only in Utah but across the nation.
Springmeyer said about 39 percent of Utahns vote Democratic; around 42 percent are Republicans. But if he can win the independent vote, he can oust Huntsman.
Huntsman is popular, admitted Springmeyer. "He's a nice guy with a pretty wife." But he can be beaten, Springmeyer said. Several Democratic speakers said Huntsman is pushed around by a right-wing GOP-controlled Legislature.
Democrats have been winning elections recently in Salt Lake County, which has about 1 million people and makes up 40 percent of the state's population.
Democratic Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon is popular, and Republicans had a hard time finding someone to run against him this year. The nine-member council is ruled by five Republicans and four Democrats. Various Democrats promised Saturday that they would win a majority on the County Council this year. Horiuchi is the only Democratic council member up for re-election. Republicans must defend three seats, including an open seat with the retirement of one GOP council member.
Democrats are making inroads, even into the core GOP/Mormon voters, party leaders said.
Democratic County Council candidate Paul Pugmire said Utah Republicans have taken a "good religion" — the LDS faith — and politically made a "cynical use" of that religion. Republicans have made "choosing no religion somehow a failure."
"I am tired of my fine Republican colleagues," Councilman Jim Bradley said. "They don't get it. They are so wrapped up in their nitwit, political conservative philosophies that they don't understand the acts of service — service to your fellow citizens."
One of the Utah Democrats' themes this year is that more Utahns are looking for a change — change from a one-party, think-alike GOP state to one open to new ideas. Several Democratic candidates are former Republicans. Former GOP Rep. Dave Hogue has become a Democrat and received loud cheers when he was nominated by acclamation Saturday to run in his old Riverton House District 52.
Mike Kellermeyer, a former West Jordan city councilman, lost his bid to be the Democratic nominee in Senate District 6. But Kellermeyer said he feels at home in the Democratic Party, leaving the GOP in 2000 after he saw a Republican candidate he worked for "unfairly" defeated in the Republican convention. "My wife would vote for Mickey Mouse if he was the Republican candidate. But my children are looking at Democrats," Kellermeyer said.
E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com; ldethman@desnews.com
Recent comments
It's time for Bradley and Horiuchi to get jobs in the private...
Mike | April 29, 2008 at 1:52 p.m.
It will be sad to see Senator Fife go. He has done so much for the...
District 1er | April 28, 2008 at 3:27 p.m.
Dave Hogue was always a democrat, he was just masquerading as a republican...
RINO Spotter | April 27, 2008 at 11:13 p.m.
