Democrats look to build on S.L. County wins

SALT LAKE COUNTY — Welcome to the home of Utah Democrats.

I have to admit, over the years I've wondered if I would ever write such a phrase.

Since the late Democratic Gov. Scott M. Matheson left office in January 1985, Utah has not been a very friendly place for Democrats.

In fact, soon after Matheson's political departure, Republicans held every major office in the state — governor, both U.S. Senate seats, all U.S. House seats, other statewide offices and big majorities in the state House and Senate.

Some Democrats have won some important seats over time. They briefly had a 2-1 majority on the old Salt Lake County Commission. They had the Attorney General's Office, and the 2nd Congressional District.

But there was no real place to call home — except perhaps the rather small borders of Salt Lake City, and, oh yeah, Price — both cities that have been losing population over time.

But no more.

As Todd Weiler, vice chairman of the Utah Republican Party put it this week: "Republicans are now officially the minority party in Salt Lake County."

You should have seen the happy people at the Democrats' election night party in a downtown hotel. You wouldn't have known that they lost (again) races for governor, attorney general, state treasurer and auditor, most of the state House and Senate races and the 1st and 3rd Congressional District contests.

And the mood was not that great at the Republican Party's party, either, even with all those victories.

Why?

Well, of course, there was much Democratic joy over Barack Obama. But Utah Republicans were sadder when former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney got out of the race in February than they were with John McCain's loss Tuesday.

The happy Democrats were smiling over their party taking control of Salt Lake County government and their impressive wins in county legislative races.

A Democrat unseated a GOP county councilman, and Democratic Councilman Randy Horiuchi also won, so Democrats have a 5-4 majority there. County Mayor Peter Corroon won a 3-to-1 victory in his re-election, setting the stage for a run for higher office in 2012.

And Democrats beat a GOP senator and took three House seats away from Republicans in the county, including an attention-getting defeat of the sitting speaker of the Utah House — a history-making political event.