Demos have a fighting chance in Salt Lake County

Many state and local elections in Utah are not really battles between Republicans and Democrats.

Rather, they are elections between one or more Republicans — the GOP has such a death grip on state politics.

Even if Democrats bother to field a candidate, the outcome is politically pre-determined: the GOP candidate will ultimately win the seat.

Salt Lake County is different.

Home to 40 percent of the state's population, in Salt Lake County Democrats actually have a chance of victory.

And more and more, any fights between Republicans are over whether moderates should hold the party nomination or whether conservatives hold sway.

The Salt Lake County Republican Convention is Saturday. And since party delegates are usually more conservative than county Republicans at large, as in the past, Saturday's convention will see a number of contests between moderates, conservatives and ultra-conservatives.

As has often been the case recently, Salt Lake County Democrats cleared the decks for their legislative and county office candidates. Following a convention a week ago that saw some Democratic candidates taken aside by party leaders and asked to step out of contested races, there will be no Democratic primary elections in the county this year.

All contested races were settled in the convention.

Historically, Republicans do hold primaries.

And as in recent years, come June 27 Republicans will likely hold a number of run-off primary elections. Those elections will be closed; only registered Republicans will be allowed to vote in the GOP primary.

There are a number of interesting Republican battles this year. In several cases, noted moderate GOP legislators are being challenged from the right. And in one Senate race, Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, long a staunch supporter of business, is being challenged by Rep. Dave Hogue, R-Riverton.

Two years ago, Stephenson signed several letters critical of Hogue saying he should not win the GOP nomination. Hogue, however, defeated his GOP challengers and won re-election. This year Hogue decided to return the favor — and he's running to defeat Stephenson, president of the Utah Taxpayers Association and a registered lobbyist.

Since Stephenson's Senate District 11 slops over into northern Utah County, that race will be voted on in the state Republican Convention on May 13.