This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Can we raise our journalistic standards?
Like many Utahns who have followed or been engaged in local politics for more than two years, I read the April 2 op-ed ("Utah Democrats can effect real change if they'll vote in GOP primaries") with incredulity. Have the Tribune's journalistic standards fallen so low that its editors feel comfortable printing an article premised on such obviously and objectively false statements?
Gregg Schultz claimed that "in 100 percent of Utah congressional races in the past decade, the winner of the Republican primary won the general election." In fact of the 21 congressional races from 2006-2016 the Democratic candidate won approximately 20 percent of the time.
Democrats have also outperformed his claim that "in the last three elections [the best result] was a 25-point loss" in every year, including a 2012 victory by Democrat Jim Matheson and a narrow 4 point loss by Democrat Doug Owens in 2014.
That Schultz was writing an opinion piece is little consolation to The Tribune's readers who, at minimum, are entitled to expect that any statements purporting to be facts have at least been given a cursory Google by your staff.
Brad Townley
Millcreek