'08 could be watershed year for Demos, Matheson says

PROVO — The sole Democrat in Utah's congressional delegation told delegates gathered Saturday for the Utah County Democratic Convention that 2008 can be a watershed year for their party — in Utah and the nation.

The Republicans dominating the Utah Legislature are not listening to their constituents, and the GOP is out of touch nationally, as well, said Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, who is seeking re-election this year. He pointed specifically to a school voucher law passed by state legislators that was overwhelmingly overturned in voting last November by the people they represented. That is a Legislature made up of those who do not listen to their constituents, he said.

"There's a different environment now," he said. "People are taking their vote more seriously."

Matheson said he always tells people that their elected officials will affect their lives, for good or bad — which is why voting matters. This year, people are willing to take a look at Democratic candidates because of what has happened recently in the Legislature and nationally.

"In 2008, we belong nationally to the party of fiscal responsibility," he said.

In general, a calm atmosphere prevailed at the convention, for there wasn't much intraparty competition. With only two contested races — in House District 57 and Senate District 16 — most of the Democratic candidates simply met with district delegates and residents.

In those two races, Mary Lou Huffmon and Terry Jensen were vying for the nomination in House District 57, while Fred Desposorio and RaDene Hatfield fought it out in Senate District 16. Huffmon and Hatfield received enough votes to gain their party's nominations for the November election.

Hatfield will face Republican incumbent Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo, for the Senate seat, a fight she wasn't initially thrilled to wage.

"At first I didn't want to run and take on the Goliath of Curt Bramble," she said. But she changed her mind and decided she should run to try to change the Legislature and make a difference. She said she can get Republican votes, and the delegates clearly agreed with her.

"I believe we can beat Curt Bramble," she said to loud applause.

Ethics, health insurance, education and the environment were at the top of the list for all the candidates, as well as stressing that the Legislature needs to have two parties to work together in order to accomplish the things the people of the state want.