Growing the Utah Republican Party- Larry Meyers, Washington County SCC member
The Utah Republican Party is based on the conservative principles and policies proclaimed in our Utah GOP Platform. As Republicans, we want to elect fellow Republicans to public offices who will put our Platform principles into public policy, giving us better government at all levels. To accomplish this goal, we need more Utahns registered as Republicans and more Utahns voting Republican.
To grow our Party, the first step is to talk about our conservative Platform principles and policies with family, friends, and neighbors. Utahns are mostly conservatives who want more freedom and less government involvement in their lives, so they will respond favorably to our principles. Key Republican policies that we can promote include a strong national defense, secure borders, limiting the power of the federal government, protecting our God-given, Constitutionally-protected rights (such as the right to life, the right to bear arms, free speech, religious freedom, and privacy), and parental control of education. As Utahns come to understand our principles, they will decide that they too are Republicans.
Second, our State and County Parties need to reach out and invite people to register as Republicans and become active in the Party. This can be done in many ways, including through regular voter registration drives conducted at the precinct level. Many Utahns are registered as unaffiliated but are Republicans in principle. As we find these voters and register them as Republicans, we can begin to involve them in local Party activities. County Parties and auxiliaries should host monthly meetings that bring Republicans together to meet candidates, hear from and talk to elected officials, and learn about Republican issues.
Finally, our elected officials need to govern according to our Republican Platform. Nothing hurts our Party’s growth more than Republicans office holders who govern like Democrats by raising taxes, increasing government spending, and allowing government to infringe on our rights. When this happens, Republican voters become disgusted and complain about the hypocrisy they see. Some eventually leave the Party. On the other hand, when our Republican officials are fiscally responsible and work to protect life, liberty, and property, the Republican base is energized to recruit more Republicans and to vote Republican in in the November elections.