On the day when thousands of Republicans were meeting in their neighborhood party caucuses Tuesday night, Utah GOP chairman Joe Cannon announced that longtime Republican activist Jeff Hartley will be the state party's new executive director.

While Utah Democrats have kept Todd Taylor as their executive director (with a brief 18-month hiatus a year ago) for upwards of 15 years, GOP executive directors see routine turnover.

Hartley has worked in a number of GOP campaigns and in staff positions for several Republican officeholders, including Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett, both R-Utah, and Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, Joe Cannon's younger brother.

"Jeff brings to the Utah Republican Party a level of seniority and experience that will make a real difference," said Joe Cannon, who also serves on the board of the Deseret Morning News. "He offers renewed energy and an excitement about politics that is contagious."

Hartley has worked as a lobbyist for several years. In the 2006 Legislature that just ended, he represented Rural/Metro Corp. and Southwest Airlines.

Said Hartley: "I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to serve the Republican Party. We have great candidates running for office at all levels of government and we will work tirelessly to get them elected."

Republicans hold four of five congressional seats, the governorship, and two-thirds majorities in the Utah Legislature and most county commissions.

"I'm a Republican for very clear reasons," said Hartley. "And I look forward to helping the party articulate our message to the voters across the state."