This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Both Salt Lake City newspapers today had basically the same message to the state Republican Party. Count My Vote and SB54 are done deals. You've been looking for help in Alderaan places.

Let it go.

Adapt and move on, Utah GOP — Salt Lake Tribune Editorial

"Utah's Republican Party has a tough choice. U.S. District Judge David Nuffer last week denied the party's request for an injunction to stop the state from enforcing SB54, the 2014 compromise that opens party primaries to candidates who petition. The party had argued it had a constitutional right to run its operation without state interference, and it further argued that it needed the injunction because it couldn't comply in time for the 2016 campaign season.

"Judge Nuffer rejected both. On the first point, primaries are a state process, and therefore they are subject to state regulation. On the second point, the judge saw that the other folks, the Utah Democratic Party, had already managed to comply. ..."

"U.S. District Judge David Nuffer made the correct decision late last week when he declined to place an injunction on SB54, the law that changes Utah's political caucus system by opening up an alternative route to primary ballots. Now is the time for the leaders of the state Republican Party to let go and accept the changes. ..."

Also:

" ... Judge Nuffer was well prepared and understood the issues – which turned out to be bad news for the Republican Party. ..."

" ... 'It's like Princes Leia,' [Republican attorney Marcus] Mumford told the judge, referring to the character in the movie Star Wars. 'You're our only hope'."

" 'Well, I am wearing a robe,' Nuffer joked, but repeatedly pushed Mumford to cite court rulings to support his point, which he was unable to do to the judge's satisfaction. 'I think you and I are on different points here. I'm on [Princess Leia's home planet of] Alderaan and you're on some other planet'. ..."