Utah Democrats were able to avoid a primary election in two major races at their state convention on Saturday, but the party's largest-ever gathering did not end without controversy.

About 50 people silently protested Rep. Jim Matheson's support of a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage by standing with their backs to the two-term 2nd District congressman as he spoke.

More than 1,300 delegates assembled at the Salt Palace, casting ballots to nominate former Utah attorney general Paul Van Dam as the Democratic candidate to challenge Republican Sen. Bob Bennett. Logan City Councilman Steve Thompson was nominated for another GOP-held spot in Congress, Rob Bishop's 1st District seat.

Unopposed Democrats in other races, including Matheson's brother, gubernatorial candidate Scott Matheson Jr., and 3rd District congressional candidate Beau Babka, were placed on the party's ticket by acclamation.

"It's our turn and it's our time," Scott Matheson Jr. told a cheering crowd. "We've been out in the political desert for two decades. Finally, we see water on the horizon."

But he warned there's a tough campaign ahead. "It's not going to be easy, but it is within our grasp." Scott Matheson Jr. will face either industrialist Jon Huntsman Jr. or state Board of Regents chairman Nolan Karras, who were nominated Saturday by Utah Republican Party delegates and face a June primary election.

Van Dam received 97 percent of the votes cast in the Senate race while his opponent, Cody Judy, who served prison time for threatening a leader of the LDS Church, earned only 38 votes.

"Relieved" was how Van Dam described his reaction to the results. "We've been working towards this for months." He said he's ready to challenge Bennett to debate him in "as many (debates) as he's willing to do." Judy said he couldn't "think of a better guy to lose to."

Thompson said he was surprised to come out of the convention with 63 percent of the vote, compared to 37 percent for Brian Watkins, a Salt Lake community council leader.

Thompson, owner of a custom-merchandise company, said he may have gotten a boost from supplementing his speech with a mock funeral service for the one-party system and a Dixieland-style band. Watkins said his age, 29, might have hurt him.

Also decided Saturday was the Democratic nominee for the legislative seat vacated by retiring Rep. Scott Daniels, D-Salt Lake. Ross Romero beat Chris Ferguson, 79 percent to 21 percent. The district includes part of Salt Lake's east bench area and the Snyderville Basin and Summit Park areas of Summit County.