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Moving forward to win in 2010 |
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 Dear Fellow Utah County Democrats:
On May 2 we had an excellent convention. There were well over a hundred people in attendance. Admittedly, we didn't draw as many as the Republicans. (They had over 800 attendees.) But Larry Brown pointed out that we had a larger attendance in proportion to our voter registration in the county. The Republicans outnumber us by more than 10 to 1. My thanks again to all those participated to make our convention a success.
We're 16 months away from the next legislative elections. This may seem like the lull time. After all, it isn't really an election year, except for city races.
Rather than take it as a lull period, we are going to use it for party organization. The legislative district chairs will be filling the precinct chair vacancies and mobilizing activists in each precinct. Campaigns are won or lost to a great extent through the organization on the ground. Friends and neighbors talking to one another, speaking out for the Democratic candidate in their area, canvassing the neighborhood with the candidates' literature and signs, and even walking with the candidate. That's why we need everyone to help us build the organization this year.
The party leadership also will begin actively recruiting viable candidates for next year's election. If you have any suggestions for possible candidates who would do well in your local area, please forward them to me.
The most important support for the party and our candidates is your voice in your neighborhood. Republicans try to send the message that there are no Democrats in Utah County. Or they say that, if there are Democrats, they are weird people who don't share the values of Utah County people.
By speaking out to our friends and neighbors, we blunt that tactic. It is interesting how many people are supportive if they see another person admit that they are a Democrat. Many people did that this past year. Many more need to do so next year.
Just last Sunday, a woman came up to me after church and said she admired me for being a Democrat in Utah County. The week before someone else in my ward said they had read about our convention in the newspaper and thought Jim Matheson was doing a great job. Neither of these people call themselves Democrats. But they are likely to see Democrats in a different light when they realize a fellow ward member and neighbor is a Democrat. And that will spill over into their voting habits if we put forward the kind of candidate they think will represent them well. I've already seen that in my own precinct. Since I've lived there either a Democrat has not run for the state legislature or the Democrat received no more than 15 percent of the vote. Last year, in my precinct, Steve Baugh won 43 percent. That's what happens when we give the voters real options. Next year can be even better. I've already been approached by neighbors (people who are not registered Democrats) who have said they'll work for Steve next time if he runs. They realized how much they were needed and how their efforts could put us across the 50 percent mark in 2010.
Thanks for all your efforts. Let's move forward to win in 2010.
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