Demo hopefuls light fire under Utah, U.S. voters

Democrats, in the GOP stronghold that is Utah, have a new spring in their step.

"We're very excited and very energized," said former U.S. Rep. Bill Orton. "Not only about a Democratic win in the presidential race but a historic Democratic win — with either the first woman or the first African-American president in the White House."

It's not only that Demos have two historic, interesting candidates, says Kirk Jowers, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. "Add to that the unprecedented success in raising money for the party and a mostly unpopular president, and the result is probably the most optimistic Democratic core we've seen in decades."

Following the lackluster speaking style of 2004 Democratic challenger John Kerry and the arguably boring presentation of Al Gore in 2000, Utah Democrats are giddy with the engaging, inspiring styles of both Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

"We like all of our candidates," said Alan Seim, stepping out of a Young Democrats of Utah luncheon Thursday. "We just feel that it's really time for new ideas and new leadership. It's a great time to be a member of the Democratic Party."

Seim was largely uninvolved in politics until 2006. With the war, social issues and his own challenges in his field as a social worker, "I was fed up with where things seem to be headed in the country."

So he went to work, not in Utah, but for a candidate hundreds of miles away in Missouri. When Seim's candidate won a nail-biter against the incumbent he was hooked on politics.

Today Seim is one of many party organizers who have come out of the woodwork to knock on doors, volunteer, stuff envelopes or get involved in some other way.

"We've got young people who are energized right now," said Sen. Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake. "As a parent and as a grandparent when I see this happen with young people, I get excited, too."

"We find a lot of energy for Hillary, but we find a tremendous amount of energy for Obama," Davis said. "He's lit a fire among young people that we haven't seen for many, many years."

Attendance at political events is up. Volunteers are up. Optimism is running high.

Chelsea Clinton was in Utah this week. Obama was scheduled to come Saturday but respectfully deferred so as not to interfere with the funeral planned for LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. Obama's wife, Michelle, will pinch hit for him in Utah on Monday instead.