SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Utah Republican leaders on Monday hailed the Republican National Committee’s decision to have Salt Lake City host the state’s first-ever presidential debate, calling it recognition that Utah is more than just a flyover state.
The RNC announced over the weekend that it was adding a March 21 debate in Salt Lake City - a day before Utah’s caucus and Arizona’s primary. The location has not been finalized.
“This demonstrates what we’ve known for some time: that Utah is a state (that) presidential candidates must visit,” Utah Republican Party Chairman James Evans said.
It will be the first presidential debate held in Utah, said Tim Chambless, a professor at the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics.
“The first time is always an exciting time,” Chambless said. “It will highlight Utah as a state very actively aware of the Republican presidential campaign.”
Evans said he lobbied national GOP leaders to consider Salt Lake City for a debate. He reminded them the Utah Republican Party changed its system from a primary to a caucus where people can vote online if they register early, and moved up the selection to spring.
Utah’s decision to have the caucus in March likely was a big factor in the state being picked for the debate, Utah State University political scientist Damon Cann said. Utah’s 2012 primary, held in June, made the state largely irrelevant, Cann said.
Utah probably also benefited from its long history of solidly supporting the Republican Party. And it has a host of federally elected officials - such as Sen. Orrin Hatch, Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Rep. Rob Bishop - in leadership positions on key committees, Cann said.
But he cautioned not to read too much into the decision, saying the debate won’t change the fact that during the general election, Utah will largely be ignored. The state has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon Johnson in 1964.
“Utah’s support for the Republican presidential candidate is a foregone conclusion,” Cann said.
Evans hopes the buzz and attention the debate brings will drive larger turnout in Utah’s caucus, especially considering it comes several weeks after 13 states vote March 1 in what is known as Super Tuesday.
Republican Gov. Gary Herbert commended Evans and other party leaders for their work bringing the debate to the state.
“We are excited to welcome the Republican Party to Utah at such a critical time in the nominating process,” he said.
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