After primaries, Utah’s caucus-convention system again under scrutiny

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — For Utah’s caucus-convention system, it’s been a tough year, particularly for the dominant Republican Party.

Last month, a number of Republican signature-gathering candidates beat their caucus-nominated rivals in major primary races. This happened in the contests for governor, senate, and attorney general, where the signature-gatherers won by wide, comfortable margins.

In the race for governor, for instance, incumbent Gov. Spencer Cox beat state Sen. Phil Lyman (R-Blanding) by about 10 points. Cox was declared the projected winner on election night.

Yet, when Cox spoke at the chaotic Republican convention in April, he was greeted by a chorus of boos. In his speech, he seemed to question the efficacy of the convention process.

“I’m so proud to be welcomed here today the same way you have welcomed other Republican governors over the years,” Cox told the crowd. “Gov. Herbert got booed here and lost by 10 points, but then he won by 40 points in the Republican primary.”

After the caucus, however, Cox clarified in a monthly press conference that Utah’s caucus system is unique and shouldn’t go away, adding that what happened this year gave ammunition to those who want to see it end.

This year’s Republican presidential caucus only had an estimated 9% voter turnout, and some neighborhood precinct meetings on the Wasatch Front were plagued by long lines, delays and confusion over the process.

The state convention was also critiqued for having a hostile atmosphere. Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson and State Rep. Kera Birkeland (R-Morgan) said they didn’t plan to bring their families next time.

Robert Axson, chair of the Utah Republican Party, said that while this year’s convention might not have run perfectly, the system did what it was meant to do: give voters a chance to meet candidates, and give up-start candidates a chance to compete before money comes into play.

“If there’s no relationship aside from paying for a TV ad and then expecting [voters] to vote for you…then it’s hard to believe you will be connected to the people,” Axson said.

He pointed out that of the 24 races at the state party level only six of the convention candidates failed to advance to the general election, saying this could be explained by differences in fundraising and name recognition.

Frank Mylar, who won the most support at the convention, lost by more than 20 points to Derek Brown in the primary race for Utah Attorney General.

“You go to a primary, it’s all about money,” he told ABC4. “You don’t reach very many people…Whoever has the most money wins.”

Brown, who got on the ballot by gathering signatures, outspent Mylar nearly nine times over.

An expensive, time-intensive process, signature gathering has been in place in Utah since 2014. But Mylar wants to see it done away with.

“I’m not blaming the candidates who followed Utah law to do that, but I am blaming the legislators who put it into place,” he said. “It’s high time we do something about it.”

Mylar has joined a coalition of candidates, including Lyman, who filed a public records request to get access to signatures gathered by candidates this year.

Currently, there are no proposals to change or replace the caucus-convention system. For now, the Utah Republican Party is focusing on November’s general election.

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