On Saturday evening I attended a dinner and award ceremony where the Utah County Democratic Party presented their Distinguished Service Award to the former Governor of Utah Olene Walker.

It was mentioned several times during the evening that it was interesting that, in these times of harsh partisan politics, the Democratic Party would give this award to a Republican public servant. As Governor Walker spoke, however, it became clear why she is such a worthy recipient.

Her remarks centered on two messages. The first was the need for bipartisanship in legislation and in leadership. She described her experience both campaigning and serving in the legislature and later in the executive offices. She claimed that all people agree on 80% of the issues, but that 20% is driving people apart. She decried those who were more concerned about partisan victory than beneficial public policy. She challenged the candidates and elected officials to work together and to be statesmen, and stateswomen, in the best sense of the word.

The Executive Committee of the Utah County Democratic Party has accepted the resignation of Vaughn Cook as the county party treasurer. Cook has served as treasurer for nearly two years.  He also served as chair of the county party from 2004 to 2007.  

"We are sorry to lose Vaughn," said Richard Davis, county party chair. "We understand he's growing a business, which is important in a deep economic recession. We'll miss him."

The Executive Committee appointed Cecile Peay to fill the rest of Vaughn Cook's term, which ends at the next county convention in the spring of 2011. "We are pleased to have Cecile fill in for Vaughn," Davis said. "She will be a great contribution to the county party. She and her husband, Ken, have been strong supporters of the party for a long time." Cecile Peay and her husband have three children and four grandchildren. Her husband Ken ran for the State Senate in 2008 and the State House in 2006.

Recently, I heard a news report that a vandal had burned an obscene word into the lawn of Taylor Oldroyd, chair of the Utah County Republican Party.  This kind of despicable act should have no place in politics.  That we will disagree, and sometimes strongly, is a given when we all have differing views about how government should work.  But there are appropriate ways to express disagreement.  

Just six weeks ago, Elder Quentin L. Cook spoke to this very topic in LDS General Conference.  He admonished Latter-day Saints to "be civil in our discourse and respectful in our interactions.  This is especially true when we disagree.  The Savior taught us to love even our enemies."  Elder Cook went on to say, in a prescient statement, that "violence and vandalism are not the answer to our disagreements."  

Since most of the people in this community are LDS, that counsel clearly is relevant to many people here.  To subscribe to principles of Christian behavior on Sunday, and then to abandon them when strong political differences arise, is not to hold to those principles at all.  Those of us who are LDS should look inside ourselves to see if we are making ideology more important than religious belief and practice.

It is a maxim in politics that incumbents have strong advantages over challengers. Two years ago our candidates faced incumbents in all but one race.  This year there are three open seats. There may be a fourth after the primary.  And we have strong candidates in each race.  We plan to take full advantage of these opportunities.

As we run strong candidates each year, Republican incumbents face tougher and tougher races. It won't be surprising if they begin to wonder whether it is worth it to have to run vigorous campaigns rather than the half-hearted efforts they were able to run in the past.

I watched the election results in the British general election this past week and thought of an election 13 years before.  I was in the U.K. during that election and watched as the Labour Party scored a huge electoral majority after having been shut out of government for 18 years. Now the Tory Party likely will regain  power.