The most important statement of the Utah Democratic Party platform is that, “we will work together toward a better state and country for everyone.”
But, in just the last few days, there were several disturbing items in my inbox.
April 15 – The news broke showing Sen. Mike Lee was working “14 hours a day” to overthrow the 2020 election. He literally tried to subvert the voice of the people. His only grounds were that his party lost. This was a clear statement of “party over all else.”
April 16 – In an email from Quang “Q” Dang, a candidate for Utah Democratic Party chair, he states, “It’s time for the Utah Democratic party to refocus our mission: to ELECT DEMOCRATS” and secondly that Lee should go. I assume that Dang said we should no longer follow the Democratic platform to make “a better state and country for everyone.” He takes his lead from Lee to work for “party over all else.”
By all accounts, Dang, and the U.S. Senate candidate he supports, Kael Weston, are good people. But in 2020, in a much less contentious race, Utahns spoke with their votes and donations about the very same candidate. He lost.
This election, statewide now, will be far more contentious and expensive than the 2020 race was, and there is no evidence that anything has changed with his candidate. In fundraising so far in this race, the Democratic candidate has been unable to raise the funds that are needed. According to the Federal Election Commission, the Democratic candidate has a little over 1% of campaign receipts compared to Lee. And, sadly, his supporters do not even think there is a chance of Lee losing to a Democratic candidate.
There are many ways for the Democratic party to get different results in our Utah communities. Fundraising, education, candidate outreach and training. However, Dang and others in the Democratic Party have limited their possible vision to only having Democratic candidates on the ballot, even when they don’t think they will win. Obviously, every time a Democratic candidate loses an election, it is used by Republicans as evidence that the Democrats have no place in Utah’s elected offices.
I disagree with Dang’s approach. He is apparently comfortable with Utah having a senator who will work to overthrow an election, the voice of the people. He seems comfortable having his actions support a senator who goes to Russia with the goal of limiting U.S. sanctions. As a Democratic delegate, I will not follow him and, as opposed to Dang, I will not do anything to support Lee.
If the people of Utah follow the actions and words of Lee and, ironically, of Dang, we will have a Republican in every statewide role for an exceptionally long time. The facts are that approximately 15% of Utahns are Democrats, 45% Republican and the remainder are unaffiliated or third party.
Even though more than 50% of Utahns want to replace Mike Lee, this cannot be done by one political party or affiliation, it is only possible with a broad coalition. Furthermore, without these coalitions, we will never be able to win statewide or federal elections.
I ask that all Utahns not follow the “party above all else” principle. Instead, follow the Democrats who have successfully been elected in Utah (former Rep. Ben McAdams and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson), follow the Utah Democratic party platform, which states, “We know that America is stronger when we work with our partners and allies.” And most importantly, “We will work together toward a better state and country for everyone.” “Party over all else” is not my way, and it is not the way we will win.
I support Evan McMullin, and I encourage all to join his powerful coalition so we can get closer to “a better state and country for everyone.”
Gregg Lund and his wife are life-long Democrats and long-time residents of Utah.
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