Democrats in Davis recruiting candidates

FARMINGTON — Utah Democrats are gearing up for runs at every partisan seat that will be up for election in 2008, and they want lots of help.

"We're going to fill every legislative seat," said Rob Miller, vice chairman of the Utah State Democratic Party. "We're going to find the best names we can."

Miller is charged with heading up the recruitment of Democratic candidates in the most heavily Republican state and he said his mission is not a lost cause.

He points to Democratic governors Calvin Rampton and Scott Matheson Sr. as examples of the popularity Democrats have had in the past and he hopes to resurrect that popularity during the 2008 elections.

In Davis County, Miller will have his work cut out for him. In 2006, he and fellow Democrat Chris Martinez were defeated in races for two county commission seats, both of which went to Republicans.

In fact, a Democrat has not been elected to the County Commission since J. Dell Holbrook was elected in 1990 and served one term.

Both Miller and Holbrook recently told a group of local Democrats that their party would bring more accountability to the County Commission.

"We have languished for 12 years with no one holding office other than Republicans," Holbrook said in a plea to county residents. "If you don't want to run for office, help someone who will."

Miller said, "If Davis County were smart, it would be asking that man, J. Dell Holbrook, to run again."

One seat on the County Commission — the one held by commission Chairman Alan Hansen — is up for election in 2008.

Miller said he doesn't want to foster animosity between the two parties and invited a Republican, Bountiful resident Ron Mortensen, co-founder of CitizensForTaxFairness.org, to share ideas for tax reform in Davis County, such as urging officials to control spending and working with the Legislature to keep school districts from receiving property tax revenue.

"Just because we're in different parties doesn't mean we always have to have different opinions," Miller said.

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E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com