Salt Lake County Republicans, Democrats hold conventions Saturday

SALT LAKE CITY — This weekend, as both political parties gather in Salt Lake City to hold candidate nominating conventions, Salt Lake County Republicans will be looking to gain political ground, while Democrats will work to retain their majority position in the state's most populous county.

Republicans will meet in Sandy's South Towne Expo Center, while Democrats will huddle at West High School. Both conventions are open to the public, but only credentialed delegates can vote.

County Democrats are riding high this year — they control county government, holding both the mayor's office and a majority on the County Council.

Democrats also hold most of the state House and Senate seats in the county, although statewide they are greatly outnumbered by the majority Republicans, who also control the governor's office.

Gov. Gary Herbert said Thursday that he supports the caucus system, which critics say puts too much power in the hands of party insiders and power brokers. Herbert disagrees and said the current crop of delegates the caucus system produced "reflects the people."

Herbert said that throughout his political career, he has campaigned to win the votes of elected delegates. Several candidates are challenging him this year for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.

"An average guy like Gary Herbert, who has no celebrity status, no fortune to spend, can go and talk to those 3,400 delegates and say, 'Here's what I'll do if I am elected,' " the governor said.

Unlike in a general primary system, incumbents face being defeated by less well-known, less well-funded challengers, he said. "I think that is a unique opportunity for anybody to come and participate and have success."

The governor acknowledged the argument that the caucus system can lead to extremists controlling the selection of candidates. "Maybe so," he said. "It's when people don't show up and participate that you can have extremism."

The large numbers of people who attended their caucus meetings this year means the delegates will represent their neighborhoods, Herbert said. "The fact we've had double the turnout shows that people are kind of energetic. They're concerned. They want to make a difference."

What's driving them to get involved in the process, the governor said, crosses party lines. "The overreach of the federal government, creating more of a nanny state, has got people concerned."