Informative Cathy McKitrick piece in the morning's Salt Lake Tribune, regarding the House District 7 state representative race, within tomorrow's Weber County GOP nominating convention. Four-term incumbent state representative Glenn Donnelson faces an intra-party convention challenge from Ryan Wilcox, a GOP political newcomer. We incorporate the article's opening paragraphs below:
Rep. Glenn Donnelson, R-North Ogden, is passionate about cracking down on illegal immigration, so much so that some consider him a one-issue legislator.Read the full article here.
"There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed in our district" - education and property taxes among them, says challenger Ryan Wilcox. "Rep. Donnelson has focused on immigration - that's a concern."
Wilcox, 30, hopes to unseat the four-term incumbent this Saturday at Weber County's Republican Convention.
Any candidate garnering over 60 percent of the delegate vote at the convention emerges as the party's nominee. If no one reaches the 60 percent mark, they face off in a June 24 primary.
"In principle, I agree with his stance on immigration," Wilcox says. "There are all sorts of consequences throughout our society because of the problem."
However, Wilcox believes that state immigration reform should strike a balance between law enforcement, moral principles and economic vitality.
"We need to be reasonable about solving the problem," Wilcox says.
Donnelson points to legislation he sponsored during the recent session as proof that he carried water on several issues, as only six of his 15 bills dealt with immigration.
Facing an intra-party challenge is nothing new - he's faced one in every convention, Donnelson adds. However, this year's could present more of a fight . [...].
Although the article distinguishes the two candidates mainly on the basis of their philosophies re immigration reform, we think the differences in the candidates are far more palpable than that. On Tuesday we mentioned the battle currently brewing between incumbent right-wing Republicans, and the political moderates of the Utah GOP. We believe tomorrow's GOP convention challenge is all about that -- with a little voucher blow-back possibly thrown in for good measure.
This intra-party contest is one that we'll carefully watch. If the challenger Wilcox manages to knock off a heretofore popular Legislative District 7 state representative like Donnelson in convention, we believe it could likely signal an across-the-board shift toward GOP moderation for the state legislative races in November.
And what say our gentle readers about all this?
8 comments:
Donaldson also voted for vouchers and he should have thrown out.
I have met Mr. Wilcox personally and was impressed with him. I would urge Leg 7 Republicans to give him strong consideration.
I've known Glenn from way back. He started as a feisty Constitutionalist which I always like. And I like the tough immigration law recently passed.
More troubling, I feel Glenn is, in the name of free enterprise, far too keen on letting the cement and asphalt types carve up the land. Sure, if it's private, they can do that. But the idea is there may be a better use for land than stucco Garage Mahals and I don't know if Glenn gets that.
He's right on one big issue, wrong on another. It's a tough call.
Danny dances well around the issue, but Donnelson received 31% of his 2006 campaign funds from the Realtor/Developer special interests and by doing so became just another lapdog.
Donnelson's largest contributor, by far, has been the Utah Realtor Association. (source followthe money.org)
He needs to be shown the exit door and Wilcox needs to be told if he accepts anything of any value from special interests he too can and will be replaced forthwith.
On 4/8/08, Christina Robey wrote:
Dear Candidate:
This is a reminder email from the Salt Lake Board of REALTORS Government Affairs Committee, inviting you to participate in our 2008 candidate interview process. We will be conducting candidate interviews on Friday, April 11th from 9:00am to 1:00pm noon at the REALTOR Campus at 230 West Towne Ridge Parkway in Sandy.
There are three slots available: 9:00am, 12:00pm, and 12:20pm.
If you are able to attend during one of these times, please call or email me so I can get your interview scheduled. Based on the results of the candidate interview, the Salt Lake Board of REALTORS Government Affairs Committee will give endorsements, financial contributions, and other campaign assistance to candidates we consider to be friendly to the real estate industry.
I hope to hear from you soon. thanks and have a great day!
Christina Robey
Receptionist/Government Affairs Assistant
Salt Lake Board of REALTORS
Ph: 801-542-8840 Fax: 801-542-8841
Rep. Glenn Donnelson obviously "passed the Realtor test" back in 2000, and has continued to pass their "interview" and legislative scrutiny since.
This is not hard stuff. Donnelson needs to go and Wilcox told to not attend any such "interview" or special interest recruiting if he expects to remain in office should he win.
90% of the realitors money goes to the republicans does it not make sense that all the republicans need to go.
Danny, Yes that is true, but only because they automatically win thanks to the rumored "you can't be a good Mormon and vote Democratic", which is not true by the way.
If Democrats begin to win and get the majority with leadership positions, the Utah Realtor Association and developer money would simply go to the democrats more.
Unless we like having these bottom feeders run this State, we have to make their influence illegal through ethics and campaign finance reform laws.
It is not a partisan issue but a moral one, at least the way I see it.
I have known Wilcox and his wife for many years and have nothing but the highest respect for both of them. I will vote for Wilcox against Donnelson primarily because I know him to be a man of the highest integrity, but I will also vote because I believe he will be much more effective in representing the concerns of our district. It was a tough call for him to run against Rep. Donnelson, a man he respects, but he felt that it needed to be done. Donnelson seems to me to be a good man, but lacks either the ability or the will to compromise, a trait which is necessary to be effective politically. Ryan has the ability to reach across the aisle and work with those of opposing viewpoints. I am frankly thrilled that he decided to run and throw my full support behind him.
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