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The Utah Democratic Party

Roland Li via CC/Flickr, http://bit.ly/2sgtqzc

Monday, we’re talking about the Democratic Party in Utah, and we’re asking this question: is the party still relevant? It wasn’t long ago that Utah had a Democratic governor, or a Democratic congressional delegate. But, oh, how times have changed. Democrats now hold just 12 of 75 seats in the state legislature. The party won only 10 of 55 contested state races in last year’s general election, and Dems lost many of those races by massive margins. So what gives? And what can the party do to reverse its fortunes?

GUESTS

  • Ben McAdams is the mayor of Salt Lake County.
  • Senator Jim Dabakis is a Democrat in the Utah State Senate representing the 2nd district.
  • Quin Monson is a political scientist and a founding partner of the research and data firm Y2 Analytics, which has conducted research for Mia Love, the Republican representative of Utah's 4th Congressional District.
  • Morgan Lyon-Cotti is associate director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah.
Doug Fabrizio has been reporting for KUER News since 1987, and became News Director in 1993. In 2001, he became host and executive producer of KUER's RadioWest, a one hour conversation/call-in show on KUER 90.1 in Salt Lake City. He has gained a reputation for his thoughtful style. He has interviewed everyone from Isabel Allende to the Dalai Lama, and from Madeleine Albright to Desmond Tutu. His interview skills landed him a spot as a guest host of the national NPR program, "Talk of the Nation." He has won numerous awards for his reporting and for his work with RadioWest and KUED's Utah NOW from such organizations as the Society of Professional Journalists, the Utah Broadcasters Association, the Public Radio News Directors Association and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.