Interesting political story in this morning's Salt Lake Tribune, entitled "Demos raise cash in GOP heartland" (Utah County) As set forth in the headline, it's a real man bites dog story. We incorporate the pertinent paragraphs below:
Several Democratic legislative candidates in Utah County are outraising their incumbent Republican opponents for the first time in recent history.Do the early fundraising figures reflect a genuine Democratic Party resurgence in Utah County, or merely what securities wonks (and some political pundits) refer to as a "dead cat bounce?"
Of the 12 races in Utah County for House and Senate seats, six Democrats have collected more than Republican incumbents and one is within a few hundred dollars.
"This is a sign of major disenchantment with the status quo," said Richard Davis, Utah County Democratic Party chairman. "Putting up money to support these challengers really shows people are willing to support who they believe in."
He can't recall a time when Democrats had such a strong start, but he knows there are several months to go before the Nov. 4 election.
"Even where there is a difference between the two, there's not necessarily a stark difference," Davis said.
However, some Republican incumbents have raised significantly more. Sen. Curt Bramble has about $70,000 in the bank compared with less than $300 raised by Democratic challenger Fred Desposorio.
Bramble said most Utah County Republicans will begin fundraising in earnest now that their convention is over.
"I'm confident all Republican candidates will have adequately funded campaigns," Bramble said. "I'm glad to see the Democratic Party fielding a qualified set of candidates."
No Utah County Democrat has held an elected partisan office for more than a decade - since Sen. Eldon Money, of Spanish Fork, left the Legislature in 1996.
And the foregoing inevitably raises the question, which we'll ask of our Democrat friends on this board: How's the Demo fundraising coming along in Weber County?
