Utah Democratic Party

State Convention Highlights: May 9,10

• Listen to KCPW's wrap-up of Saturday's State Convention, including Congressman Jim Matheson's passionate call for Democrats to work for wins in November

Bob Springmeyer and Josie Valdez were interviewed at the Capitol Monday morning by KSL-TV just after Valdez filed her paperwork to become Springmeyer's running mate. Delegates to Saturday's State Convention overwhelmingly elected Springmeyer to be the Democratic candidate for governor. Valdez was picked to run for lieutenant governor.

• Read about Valdez' long career as a political activist

Dave Hogue, left, and Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana meet each other Friday afternoon just before the Democratic State Convention convened at the Cal Rampton Salt Palace in Salt Lake City. Schweitzer gave the keynote speech at the party's annual Jefferson / Jackson Celebration.

Hogue is a Democratic candidate for a seat in the Utah House of Representatives.

Convention results

Delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver were elected Friday and Saturday, including unpledged add-on (or so-called superdelegate), Kristi Cumming.

Others elected Friday were:

• Congressional District 1 for Hillary Clinton: Carlos Vasquez and Connie Nielsen

• Congressional District 1 for Barack Obama: Kathy Snyder, Scott McCoy, and Kelvin Davis

• Congressional District 2 for Hillary Clinton: Lisa Allcott and Ross Romero

• Congressional District 2 for Barack Obama: Josie Valdez, Pat Jones, Theodore Cowan, and Kurt Bestor

• Congressional District 3 for Hillary Clinton: Jordon Pazell and Emily Rushton

• Congressional District 3 for Barack Obama: Brian Spittler and Millicent Lewis

• Party Leader / Elected Official for Hillary Clinton: Blaze Wharton

• Party Leader / Elected Official for Barack Obama: Phil Riesen and Christine Johnson

Elected Saturday were:

• Clinton at-large: Arlyn Bradshaw and Jenny Wilson

• Obama at-large: Peter Corroon, Julie Day, and Jan Lovett

• CD01 Alternate Obama: Erika George; CD02 Alternate Obama: Jim Bradley; CD03 Alternate Obama: Charles Henderson

• At-Large Alternate Clinton: Mary Lou Huffmon

Unpledged add-ons (superdelegates):

Five unpledged add-on delegates – Congressman Jim Matheson (undecided), Helen Langan and Karen Hale (for Hillary Clinton), and Wayne Holland and Bill Orton (for Barack Obama) – were named previously in accordance with party rules.

DNC Committeewoman, Committeeman

Also Saturday, Patrice Arent was elected Committeewoman and Joe Hatch, Committeeman.

Legislative races

• House District 53 delegates picked Kathy Lofft over Ryan Jensen. Lofft will face Republican Mel Brown in November.

• The race for the House District 69 Democratic candidate will be decided in a June 24 primary between Grady McEvoy and Christine Watkins.

Programs

Get Active - Become a Neighborhood Leader
The Utah Democratic Party is joining states throughout the country in preparing for this November's election by asking Utah Democrats to join the Neighborhood Leader Program. In November more than 100 people signed up to contact 25 neighbors three times before the November 2008 election and to recruit 2 more people to do the same. To learn more, click here:
Program Details

More...