One of Utah's most progressive Democrats to run for senate!

[Sean Reynolds]

Sadly, he's running against Sen. Bob Bennett and will probably lose, but we can still support him!

This is an older article (dated last month) but still kick ass!



Ex-Utah attorney general to run against Bennett

Van Dam is first Demo in the Senate race

SNIP:

Former Utah attorney general Paul Van Dam, who has been out of the political limelight for the past decade, announced Friday that he will run against U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett in 2004.

Van Dam is the only Democrat thus far to challenge the two-term Republican for a Senate seat no Democrat has won in Utah since 1970.

SNIP:

What made Van Dam decide to get back into politics? "In two words: George Bush," said Van Dam in a phone interview on his way to Ephraim, where he will meet with county Democratic leaders Saturday.
"I became more and more alarmed about the situation in our country," Van Dam said. "I was particularly upset when we went to war with Iraq. And practically everything since then has added to my alarm. . . . Frankly, alienating the world is not my idea of how you protect yourself against terrorists."

SNIP:

"Pure partisan politics in Washington has paralyzed Congress' ability to enact effective legislation for the American people," Van Dam said in a press release announcing his Senate bid. "The best ideas must be embraced no matter what party or group represents them. Additionally, effectively stimulating our economy and job creation must be an overriding priority."
Bush's "no child left behind" education policy also concerns him, he said. Education should be a local concern, not increasingly federally run — especially without being adequately funded, he said. "If you only fund 60 percent of the program, you're leaving 40 percent behind to begin with."
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http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,515033153,00.html

[dolstein]

1. How'd he manage to get elected Utah Attorney General?

He must have been one of the last Democrats to hold statewide office.

[Sean Reynolds]

2. Remnant of Utah's Democratic bloc of the 1970s and early 80s.

Back when Utah had a Democratic governor from 1965-1985. In fact, the last Democrat elected to a state wide office was Attorney General Jan Graham in 1998.

But in 2004 we're looking at a Democratic governor for the first time since 1985.

[jiacinto]

4. Whatever happened to Jan Graham

nt

[Sean Reynolds]

5. She left politics.

There was some talk of her running for governor, but it never manifested. I don't know why because she's still a popular figure here in Utah.

[jiacinto]

6. What is what made her so popular?

nt

[Sean Reynolds]

9. She was just very well liked.

Article from the Deseret News, dated May 16, 2001.

Former Democratic Utah Attorney General Jan Graham is one of only two women in the newspaper's most powerful people.

She's mystified by her appearance on the list, especially considering that when the survey of 30 insiders was taken late last year it was well known she wasn't seeking re-election as the top law officer in the state.
But Graham, 51, was a high-profile AG — butting heads against the Republican establishment in the Capitol, leading the fight to get billions of dollars in tobacco company settlement funds and fighting against child and and spouse abuse.
Why was she surprised to be so ranked?
"Because I'm a member of the wrong political party. If Utah is not the most Republican state, it certainly is a contender. I'm the recipient of some extraordinary, and perhaps undeserved, good fortune in winning two statewide races in Utah. I always felt that was unexpected," she said.
"I spent a good deal of time when I was first elected — this may surprise some — considerable energy and thought trying to get along with some Republican members of the Legislature. So I really put some effort into individually speaking to each of them (leaders), befriending them, getting to know them, getting them to know me. Perhaps I could disarm them a little, showing I'm a normal person. I'm a mother, I live in a family just like you.
"And I thought it worked. It helped me, too, to understand that they were just normal people and people that I needed to work with. Virtually without exception, I found them wonderful, gentlemen, kind, good family people.
"The problem was when they were acting collectively and, this is very important, behind closed doors — as the Republican leadership of this Legislature does everything behind closed doors. That is where the group instinct took over, the mob instinct."
She was stonewalled on a number of issues, she said. After winning her re-election in 1996, Graham said she gave up trying to work with the Republican leadership and went directly to the people in various ways.
When she paid for radio ads criticizing how the GOP-controlled Legislature was splitting up tobacco funds, one leader called her into his office and screamed she was telling lies. But she persisted and believes her influence made a difference in that and other fights "for what I believed had to be done."

[Hamlette]

16. Utah AGs

Before Jan Graham we had two HORRIBLE Republican AGs, Bob Hansen (who called jurors Bishops (kinda like mormon ministers) and told them to talk the jurors and tell them how to vote in porn cases among other crap) then David Wilkinson who appeared to have a nervous breakdown in office. The last year or so he held that office (1981-1988) he all but baracaded himself in his office and wouldn't come out. Very strange guy.

Van Dam is a great guy and for some reason comes across as more moderate than he is. He was Salt Lake County attorney before becoming AG. His wife ran off with our last mayor's (DeeDee Corradini) husband.

Bennett is very popular here. But then, so is Van Dam.

In listing great Utah Dems don't forget Karen Shepard (ousted by Enid Green who self destructed when her hubby turned out to be a con man), and Cal Rampton, Dem gov for three terms before Scott Matheson.

[Sean Reynolds]

17. No doubt if we can mount an anti-Bennett camp we have a shot.

[jiacinto]

3. Well can he win in UT

Is he moderate enough to win there?

[Sean Reynolds]

7. Well it's hard to say.

A lot of Utah Republicans are RINOs (so say the hard right), so it's possible, ONLY if he has a grassroots campaign. One good thing going for him is the fact that it'll be a HUGE election year for Utah. Not only will they be electing a president, they'll be electing a new governor (Scott Matheson will be the ballot); and Jim Matheson will be up for re-election. So it's no doubt that a lot of Dems will come out in force, which could help him.

I think Bennett is more vulnerable than Hatch, so anything is possible.

[jiacinto]

11. Ok

But I don't see a Dem winning a Senate seat in UT. Even if he does win he will probalby be a one termer.

[Sean Reynolds]

14. Well, who knows. Frank Moss served from 1959 to 1977

Of course Hatch ousted him by saying that it was time for a change. :eyes:

'Course that was a LONG time ago and the state has gone further to the right. But if he's elected, which I really doubt will happen, he's in for 6 years. THAT is a lot of time.

[jiacinto]

19. That was a very long time ago

nt

[stevedeshazer]

12. I think Utah gets a bum rap

when it come to politics, because everyone assumes that all Utahns are conservatives. It's not like that so much and is changing. Anything is possible, but I think Dems will have a better showing in Utah than they have in a long time in 2004. It's still a long shot, though.

[skyzics]

8. Utah puts out some quality Dems..

Hard to believe but true!

Ted Wilson (former SLC mayor), Scott Matheson (former two-term governor), son Jim Matheson (current 2nd Congressional Representative), Wayne Owens (as quality a public servant as there ever was) the wonderful Francis Farley all immediately come to mind to this former resident and devout Utahn (1980-1984).

[Sean Reynolds]

10. Don't forget our current mayor....Rocky Anderson.

He's been a wonderful progressive that has advanced the liberal cause here in Utah's capital city. He ran for congress in '96, WON Salt Lake City, but lost the rest of the area to Cook. I'd love to see him run for congress again, maybe if Salt Lake City gets to become its own district in the future.

[Nevernose]

13. I am absolutely SHOCKED

I HAD NO IDEA! I had absolutely no idea that there were Democrats in Utah, none. It's like telling me that aliens have landed on the front lawn, and they want to groom our poodles.

I had pictured Utah as the whitest, red-neckest place on Earth (and it still may be). The only political news/commentary I ever hear out of Utah is of the psychotically wierd variety, like the town that banned any United Nations presence and made firearm ownership mandatory.

My personal experience with Mormon Republicans:

There was this trick-or-treat thing at the LDS church down the street, one of those things where everybody parks in the lot and opens the trunks of their car, and one guy had pictures of "Satan's Emissaries" or some such crap hanging from his trunk. Black candles and evil-looking pictures of Bill and Hillary.

One of the pictures was of our local senator, Harry Reid. A kid said, "Daddy, why do they have a picture of Grandpa hanging up? Do they think he's a bad man?" When Harry Reid's son explained that his father, the Democratic senator from Nevada, was not a bad man, and was, in fact, LDS, the guy took the picture away pronto.

This vignette has always colored my opinion of Utah's politics. Guess it's time for me to reevaluate, huh?

[Sean Reynolds]

15. Just check who Salt Lake City's mayor is.......

In fact Salt Lake City last elected a Republican mayor back in the EARLY 1970s. Since then the city has been home to Democratic mayors and even the guy running against our current mayor is a Democrat. Of course there is a lot to change in this state and we're hoping to start with getting a Dem elected as governor.

[Kolesar]

18. I get an image of SLC as a splendid ski town

You can take a metropolitan bus up to the ski area. When I was there last month, I met a clerk in REI store who moved there from North Carolina. I would imagine skiers and backpackers move their from all over the United States. I could see that demographic group being a potent political force.

Do you remember when the outdoor equipment convention threatened to not do their annual show in Utah if the Utah government proceeded with some anti-environmental land use laws? (That is sort of an aside.)