This morning, I received an e-mail from a constituent who wondered what “the loss of the three Republican House seats in S/E Salt Lake County means for Utah County Republicans?

Beside the loss of continued association with respected colleagues…the implicit nature of his question prompted the following response:

Republicans still hold a “super majority” in the House (50 votes required).  Democrats control the minority, still.  The new House composition is 53 Republicans and 22 Democrats (a net loss of 2 Republican seats).

Shifting “Power”

Losses of republican legislative seats in S/E Salt Lake County (Monsen, Curtis, and Christensen) will further shift “power” in the House to the Utah County and Davis/Weber County caucuses.  (Davis/Weber picks up one additional House seat with Rep-Elect Wallis’ victory in a previously held democrat seat.)  Utah County’s legislative delegation remains 100 percent Republican.  (13 House members).

Further weakening Salt Lake County’s republican “influence” is the rapid population increases in northern Utah County (from Pleasant Grove to Eagle Mountain).  Current population projections for Utah County boast 750,000 residents by 2025 (up from 420,000 in 2003).  Rep. Ken Sumsion (R-AF) believes his house district is approximately 80,000 residents strong (the size of a 2001 redistricted senate district).  Rep. Craig Frank (R-PG) and Rep. John Dougall (R-Highland) have seen their house districts grow to nearly 50,000 residents each.  Original house district sizes as the result of 2000 census and subsequent redistricting was approximately 30,000 persons.  Three house districts in 2001 then equal approximately 90,000 persons; however, current “northern” Utah County district averaged numbers are nearly double 2001 redistricting numbers.

Also, with the recent victory of Senator-Elect David Hinkins over current Representative Brad King (D-Price) in Senate District 27 (Carbon, Emery, Grand, San Juan, and Utah Counties), replacing 40-year legislator Senator Mike Dmitrich (D-Price), Utah County Senate Republican representation increases by twenty-five percent.

Pending Leadership Elections

Post November 4^th Election house republicans are now 53 in number.  To create a majority in the majority caucus, which is critical in leadership races, 27 votes are required to place a candidate into a leadership seat.  Utah County’s caucus represents 24 percent of the total Republican House Caucus and 48 percent of the votes required for a majority leadership seat.  Draw your own conclusions…

The House Majority Caucus recently voted to hold their leadership elections on Tuesday evening, November 11^th.  Previously, House republicans would have held their leadership elections simultaneously (separate venue) with the Senate Majority Caucus on Friday evening, November 7^th.  In an effort to allow for additional time for the House to organize these critical bi-annual internal elections, four days were added to the customary schedule.  Those running for leadership have been given a much needed time extension to contact (and strategize) with House colleagues.