A clean sweep Saturday by the so-called “reasonable” Republicans in party officer elections – Derek Brown crushed Phill Wright in the chairman’s race in the first round of voting in the state Republican Party organizing convention at Utah Valley University.
In the end, it wasn’t even close.
And the Gang of 51 in the state GOP is basically finished as a viable force within the party, as just over half of the delegates showed up for the convention and thumped the Gang supporters who sought the top three party officer posts – chairman, vice chair and secretary.
As UtahPolicy.com has noted a number of times in recent weeks, in county GOP conventions the so-called Gang of 51 in the state Central Committee has had its numbers drastically reduced – likely in half.
Wright was one of the main leaders of the Gang. And with his loss Saturday, he is out of Republican Party politics, at least officially.
In short, the “reasonable” Republicans are back in control of Utah’s largest political party.
Brown beat Wright with 62.4 percent of the vote, a much larger victory than many expected.
“I think today’s decision by the party fundamentally is the decision to not look back but to look forward to the future and to a Republican Party that gets united together,” said Brown.
Brown said his election as party chair means the legal fight against Utah’s dual-track nomination system is over.
“The fight over SB54 is over because the Supreme Court decided not to hear that case. SB54 is the law and the Republican party is a party that follows the law.”
Aaron Starks, another of the so-called “reasonable Republicans” easily won the race for party vice-chair, defeating current vice chair Kera Birkeland with nearly 65% of the vote.
Kendra Seeley ousted Party Secretary Lisa Shepherd with 56% of the vote, another win for the “reasonable” faction of Republicans.
Outgoing chairman Rob Anderson, who clashed continually with dissident members of the party during his two years at the helm of the Utah GOP said delegates are tired of the constant party infighting.
“Today was a message,” he said. “Maybe it’s time for them (party hardliners) to start a new party of their own.”
Gov, Gary Herbert said Saturday it’s time for the Utah GOP to accept SB54 as law.
“The debate inside the party should be over,” he said, adding opponents should now try to go through the legislature if they want to make any changes.
However, Herbert cautioned against further fights and made it clear he favors leaving the dual path in place.
“It would be unwise to do away with the dual path for nominations,” said Herbert.
First must come fundraising.
Saturday, the delegates were told that the party is currently more than $80,000 in debt, which is operational debt mostly left over from before Anderson’s tenure.
Other interesting moments from Saturday:
It was clear that outgoing Chair Rob Anderson had his ducks in a row, and that delegates were sick of long convention days.
State Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, conducted the early part of the meeting, working rather quickly through the adoption of rules and the agenda. UtahPolicy.com was told the decision to have Bramble chair the convention was made a few weeks ago, but not announced until Saturday morning.
Former state party chair James Evans, a delegate, moved from the floor that 24 bylaw changes and four resolutions be abandoned completely, and not heard at all, another move that was planned before the convention.
By overwhelming votes, delegates refused to further debate – and some of the Gang members already lined up at the floor mikes who planned to make all kinds of weird motions had to walk away frustrated – they were not allowed to be heard by the delegates’ own votes.
Saturday’s convention was one of the shortest in recent memory. Delegates voted to adjourn shortly after 1 pm even though several items remained on the agenda.
