Both turmoil, calm define GOP meets

It was a Dickensian tale of two county conventions Saturday, as an anti-incumbent fervor swept Utah County Republicans, who jettisoned three incumbents and unsettled a few others, while Salt Lake County Republicans stayed the course, supporting several moderate legislators.

Utah County Attorney Kay Bryson — who got into an ugly public divorce several years ago with his now ex-wife, former Rep. Kathy Bryson — was ousted by Jeff Buhman, one of his own employees, who garnered 69 percent of the vote.

Incumbent Sen. Parley Hellewell, R-Orem, was defeated by his GOP challenger, Rep. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem.

And longtime Rep. Dave Cox, R-Lehi, a moderate, was unceremoniously voted out in favor of Kenneth Sumsion, a more conservative candidate.

In the run-up to November's election, this is county primary season in Utah. Republicans, Democrats and other parties alike are meeting to pare down candidate lists in preparation for the major state party conventions May 13 and the statewide June 27 primary election.

In Utah's Dixie, Democrats gathered Saturday in Washington County — long a Republican stronghold — where the state's highest-profile Democratic incumbent, U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, rallied the party faithful.

"I am so proud to lead this slate of candidates in Utah," he said.

To the north, Salt Lake County GOP delegates made their choices known in several races that have generated headlines.

Salt Lake County Sheriff Aaron Kennard — seeking a fifth term — now faces a primary battle against Brent Cardall, who gave a speech castigating the incumbent.

In the district attorney race, Lohra Miller got enough votes to avoid a primary race against veteran county prosecutor Kent Morgan. The post is currently held by David Yocom, a Democrat who is not seeking re-election.

Alex Segura, a high-profile organizer of the Utah Minuteman Project, did not survive the convention in his bid for the District 33 Utah House seat. He fell to rival Pete Moesser, who will not face a primary. Segura, outspoken in his campaign against illegal immigrants, had been in the news this week in a battle of words with Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.

And Rep. Kory Holdaway, R-Taylorsville, quashed Milton Witt — who resigned as Salt Lake County GOP vice chairman to take on one of his party's incumbents. Holdaway, a moderate schoolteacher, was targeted by pro-school choice supporters. But he ended up beating Witt 34-to-9 in an old-fashioned political shellacking.

Holdaway took no Utah Education Association money this year but did accept teacher union money in 2004.