Democrats try a new tactic to win a House seat in Utah — running as progressives in a red state

TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (AP) — For decades, Democrats’ best bet at getting elected to Congress from the conservative state of Utah was to convince voters that they were responsive moderates, not zealous progressives in California or Colorado.

But the political landscape has changed re-limiting of concussion He created a deep blue region anchored by Salt Lake City. Suddenly, congressional candidates are trying to outflank each other on the left in an unusual race that could help determine whether Democrats take back control of the U.S. House of Representatives. midterms.

Appendix A: Ben McAdamsA former congressman who once described himself as pro-life and voted against a federal minimum wage increase. As he launches a comeback campaign in a much more democratic district, he pledged support for abortion rights and raising the minimum wage at a recent forum for young voters.

While prominent opponents criticized McAdams as the most conservative of them all, McAdams insisted that she was merely “moderate in tone.”

It’s a very different approach than the one McAdams used in 2018 when she unseated a Republican incumbent in the midterms of President Donald Trump’s first term. Representing the southwestern Salt Lake Valley and parts of deep-red Utah County in the former 4th district, he was considered the most conservative House Democrat during his single term in office. with a single analysisbefore being re-elected to a Republican.

McAdams is currently working in the new 1st district, which includes all of Salt Lake City and most of its suburbs. Years of legal struggle On Utah’s congressional map.

Whoever wins the primary will also win the November general election, and McAdams faces a half-dozen Democratic challengers.

“What makes me a strong candidate is that I’ve actually presented a lot of the things that people are talking about,” McAdams told The Associated Press. “It’s easy to make a strongly worded tweet or talking point, but I can actually follow it up with life-changing accomplishments.”

A potential foothold in the red state

Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin sees Utah’s 1st district as a foothold in the red state that will not only help the party win the House of Representatives this year but also set it up for long-term success. He said the party is pouring more money into Utah than ever before — at least $22,500 a month. Creating infrastructure before the 2030 censuswhen he was able to win seats in the fast-growing state’s House of Representatives.

Martin said the recipe for success is a willingness to meet voters where they are and a platform that reflects “not just the majority of Democrats, but the majority of the people in the district.”

Unlike Republicans in the state, Democrats will hold an open primary on June 23, meaning anyone in the district can vote regardless of party affiliation. This could benefit a candidate like McAdams, who built a broad base during her previous campaign. But party leaders in the state said they were confident registered Democrats had a strong enough majority to decide the primary.

Democrats have historically struggled to gain solid ground in Utah, where about half the population belongs. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members of the faith commonly known as the Mormon church have always been Republican-leaning.

Although the church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, the capital is one of the only places where Democrats maintain local control and religion takes a back seat in politics.

Martin thinks the youth vote will be key to winning in Utah and having longevity there. Utah is the youngest state with a median age of 32.

“This is a group that can be captured,” he told the AP, noting that Democrats mostly assume young voters are with them. That could mean Utah “is one of the largest potential swing states in the country,” he said.

Robert Axson, chairman of the Utah Republican Party, rejected the idea.

“Everything I see shows that the younger generation continues to support our conservative principles,” he said. “While we see the passing of the torch through the generations, there is no political drift away from the values ​​that make Utah a great place to call home.”

Competing for the votes of Generation Z

Several young voters who came to meet the candidates in Taylorsville Saturday morning said they hoped to seize the opportunity to elect a progressive candidate.

said state senator Milo Hohmann, 22, of Holladay. Nate Blouin The “firearm” Utah needs in Congress.

Blouin, perhaps the most vocal Democrat in the Republican-led state legislature, has garnered support from some of the nation’s most prominent progressives, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Greg Casar and Maxwell Frost.

Blouin said he aims to mobilize voters who are used to settling for someone who will “be nice” to Republicans.

He also took a jab at McAdams’ voting record as he defended himself against criticism that he has never introduced legislation. Blouin said he was effectively blacklisted by Republican legislative leaders, and at least two bills he originally sponsored were passed after being approved under other legislators’ names.

“I don’t measure progress by how many times you pat Republicans on the back,” he told the AP.

His stance resonated with transportation engineer Hohmann, who said Utah had an “electric moment” to elect a Democrat who would not compromise his values.

Hannah Paisley Zoulek, 19, of Millcreek, said she leaned toward Blouin or her state Senate colleague, former teacher Kathleen Riebe. But he had concerns about Blouin.

“I have a bit of a hard time with Senator Blouin’s emphasis on how tightly he holds his own positions,” Zoulek said. “That’s great if you want to make a statement, but it’s not essential if you want to do the job.”

Neither Hohmann nor Zoulek thought McAdams was suitable for the new district, given his more moderate background.

Ben Iverson, who will vote for the first time this year, disagrees.

The 17-year-old from Cottonwood Heights describes himself as very progressive and said he thinks McAdams is a “great option.” He noted that McAdams voted to impeach Trump in 2019 even though she knew it could cost him re-election.

“I don’t think left-wing voters want a moderate Democrat who will concede to the right,” Iverson said, adding that he thought McAdams had successfully shed the moderate label.

Throughout his life, McAdams was a mainstay in local politics, Iverson said. He was the state senator for Salt Lake County. mayorand represented most of the district in the previous congressional district.

“’How do we pass a bill that will never become law?’ I rolled up my sleeves in the trenches. but, ‘How do we pass legislation that will make people’s lives better?'” McAdams said.