Utah County Demos choose new leaders

PROVO — A slate of "New Utah County Democrats" will head the local party following elections at Tuesday night's Utah County Democratic Party convention.

The self-named group headed by Richard Davis captured more than 60 percent of the vote against the "Daily Democrats" as some 200 party members gathered at the Provo City Council Chambers to select leaders for the coming year.

Joining Davis, who will serve as party chairman, are Larry Brown as vice chairman, Hinckley Jones-Sanpei as secretary and Kristin Gerdy as treasurer.

Outgoing chairman Vaughn R Cook told the audience that the Democrats in the county had already made good headway as evidenced by the eight candidates vying for party office.

"This is the only county in the state this year that has four contested races," Cook said. He praised each of the eight, calling them good people and hard workers.

Each candidate was given two minutes to speak to the group. Mary Lou Huffmon, running for chairwoman on the "Daily Democrats" slate, opened her remarks by congratulating the Brigham Young University students who demonstrated recently at BYU.

Huffmon said there should be a focus on common everyday needs like the economy, housing, health and safety issues.

"We need to communicate our issues throughout the year," Huffmon said, "not just at election time."

Davis, a professor in the political science department at BYU, raised three questions: Where do we get extra voters, how do we reach them and which team is better able to do that?

"We reach people by finding common ground," Davis said. "Not by saying 'you're wrong."'

Davis suggested his group was already growing the party and that current party members need to work to welcome new county Democrats.

Brown said Democrats should be active participants, not just staying on the sidelines but being part of the team.

One comment from Brown brought laughter and applause from the audience.

"Our plan does not say immigrants were sent here by Satan," Brown emphasized, a tongue-in-cheek poke at a resolution proffered at the recent Utah County Republican Party convention.

Chris Stowe, the treasurer candidate on the "Daily Democrats" team, spoke of how he wanted to donate financially to the Democratic Party but had trouble doing so because the donation receiving system doesn't work. He vowed to change that because "we (Democrats) need all the money we can get."

Others on the losing "Daily Democrats" slate were Kena Jo Mathews and Millicent Lewis.

A highlight of the evening was the announcement that 106 people officially joined the Democratic Party at the convention.