Evans, who won an upset victory in Senate District 1 in 2002, only to see the traditionally Democratic Salt Lake City west-side seat go back to the minority party in 2004, says he has big plans to reorganize and re-energize the county party. However, not wanting to tip his hand to Democrats, he refuses to publicly identify those plans and only hints at making the party "a more integral part" of races.

As for the accusations of ethical problems within party leadership and among its elected officials, Evans calls them "erroneous." Those problems were highlighted last year by the county government scandals that ensnared two elected Republicans, Mayor Nancy Workman and Auditor Craig Sorenson. Workman quit the mayor's race but was later acquitted. Sorenson resigned and pleaded guilty to misusing a county credit card.

"Our party leaders are not unethical," Evans said.

Still, in Saturday's county convention, a resolution has been introduced by delegate John Marks Sr. requesting the following language be placed in the county party platform: "A principle of this party shall be ethical behavior. Every effort shall be taken to ensure there is never an act of perception of unethical behavior by any member."

Reagan points to those "ethical collapses" as one of the primary reasons for last year's losses in Salt Lake County. The biggest problem, however, is not the "isolated incidences" as much as a general consolidation of power, he said.

"Insiders endorse insiders, and it becomes self-perpetuating," Reagan said. "Then the power only rests with a few, and power breeds corruption."

Reagan said the party needs to spend more time focusing on its core platform and make sure the candidates that run under the Republican banner also embrace that platform. Instead, party leaders have spent their efforts in trying to win the races, even if it goes against those core values, he said.

"The county platform expresses what we think the limitations on government should be," he said. As opposed to making decisions among a handful of party leaders, the decisions should be made by all of the party members because "the rights are held by the people, they are God-given rights."

Whatever the case, Republicans need to right their ship in Salt Lake County if they want to retain the kind of power they hold in the rest of the state. It is enough of a concern that state leaders have sometimes stepped into county affairs, most notably when former state executive director Chris Bleak left his job, with the state party's blessing, to run Workman's embattled campaign last summer before Workman finally got out of the race.