Posted on 03/27/2022 7:02:28 AM PDT by cotton1706
Donald Trump's presidency and subsequent loss to President Joe Biden, combined with growing anger from two years of Covid restrictions, has oriented the party to such a degree that it's hard to believe Sen. Mitt Romney was the GOP presidential nominee just ten years ago.
That hard lurch to the right-wing of the party cost longtime state Rep. Steve Handy of Layton his seat in the legislature on Saturday. One of the state's more moderate Republicans, Handy, was defeated by newcomer Trevor Lee, who has embraced several right-wing issues during his campaign.
On his campaign website, Lee says he favors election audits and wants to pass "heartbeat" legislation, which bans abortions once a heartbeat is detected. Lee also says he favors a ban on "anyone with male DNA from competing on Women's (sic) sports teams."
Handy was one of several Republicans who flipped their vote to help override Gov. Spencer Cox's veto of a bill banning transgender athletes. Although the vote switch wasn't enough to sway Davis County delegates to support the longtime lawmaker. Lee is now unopposed in HD16.
snip
The startling turn to the right on Saturday was evident throughout Saturday's convention, focusing on culture war issues over more traditional bread and butter Republican topics.
(Excerpt) Read more at sltrib.com ...
Sen. Jerry Stevenson of Layton, co-chair of the Legislature's to budget committee was sent to a primary against Betty Young. Her campaign website focuses on the perceived loss of liberties and parental rights.
Rep. Melissa Garff Gallard, R-North Salt Lake, was sent to a primary against Ronald Mortensen, who has a history of sharing false, anti-immigrant rhetoric. Mortensen was nominated for a top post at the State Department by former President Donald Trump, but he was never confirmed.
Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful, avoided an outright loss on Saturday by taking the signature-gathering route to potential re-election. He moves on to a June primary against Lyle Mason, who has been a favorite right-wing groups like Utah Parents United.
Utah's HD18 - which is open after Rep. Tim Hawkes, R-Centerville, announced he would not run for another term - features a primary election between former Centerville Mayor Paul Cutler and Alena Ericksen.
Ericksen, who briefly ran for Congress in 2021, has adopted rhetoric common to far-right anti-government sovereign citizen movement. She also sued state officials and the Davis School District over coronavirus-related restrictions. The two suits sought nearly $1.5 billion in damages.
“hard lurch to the right-wing”:
1. Don’t murder babies
2. No men pretending to be women on women’s’ sports teams
It’s a sickening reflection of our society that these basic and common sense norms of civilization are rejected as “extreme right wing.”
There was no Trump loss to President Joe Biden. Trump won, fraud prevailed!
Unexpected!
Mittens Romney and Juan McCain were both selected by media manipulation and then destroyed by that same media while the GOPe stood by and watched, happy just to be allowed to attend the Inauguration.
Trump has energized the conservative base like no one since President Reagan. Thats why 5hey hate Trump. He’s the one person who can ruin their dreams of the New World Order.
Good to see at least Utah is going after RINOs.
Don’t forget election integrity. Hell, 15 years or so ago the Democrats were all on board with election integrity. Now they’re opposed to it because they’ve decided to cheat in elections.
Like button, like button...where the heck is the like button?
RINOs were always so careful to hide who they really are. Then Trump came along and the curtain was pulled back.
The Democrats could not have stolen anything in 2020 had it not been for RINO-controlled state legislatures who handed it to them on a platter.
Never forget the 2020 traitors. Vote everyone of them out who must face a primary.
No more RINOs = No more stolen elections.
The only reason Romney was the nominee was the same as why McCain was the nominee in 2008, as willing intentional Designated Loser.
Except President Trump actually DID beat Dementia Joe.
I don’t know who Bryan Schott is, but this is some disgraceful writing!
America needs to “lurch” to the right and back to a God fearing people.
Amen!
Thank you! Perfect headline!
I cannot believe that LDS endorses this uber-left rag. Just to illustrate the position of the paper, check out this article-
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/editorial/2022/03/27/why-utah-legislature/.
“lurches”
Bryan Schott
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