Democracy in Action

My partner and I attended the Democratic State Convention on Saturday, along with my Dad. It was a lot of fun, and surprisingly, my usually un-political partner was just as excited as I was.
I did notice that the emotions didn't really seem as sustained as they should be. I mean, people clapped and whistled and yelled and occasionally gave a standing ovation, but I thought things would be a lot more energetic, considering the opportunity Democrats have to actually make their voices heard in Utah.
We have a Republican president with a 29% approval rating, and Republican-led Congress with rates barely better. We're standing on a precipice here when even Utah has had a 14 point swing in approval for Bush, and Democrats should be seizing this opportunity. I hope that by November the lack of energy I saw will pick up and Democrats will do just that.
A few notes on some candidates I saw that made me wish I was in the right part of the state to vote for them. Chris Burridge, for instance. He was by far the most energetic of the US House candidates, and in addition he happens to be a former missionary companion to a guy from my home town. A Mormon Democrat in action! Congrats and good luck to him, especially with the news that Chris Cannon has a long fight ahead of him! Jacob garnered a bigger percentage of votes at the convention, which may well mean that in the primaries Cannon will find himself out of a job! All of this bodes well for Burridge, a young guy with a fantastic family and a bright future.
Pete Ashdown was great too! I loved his sense of humor, his tech-savvy presentation, and of course his wit and insights. Luckily, I can vote for him and will come November.
Christine Johnson, a candidate for the State Legislator, was also a wonderful and passionate voice for district 25. She will face off against Josh Ewing in District 25. Josh was great too. We heard them in the Stonewall caucus meeting. I support either candidate, though if I was in 25 I would probably vote for Christine. Not just because I'm biased (she is a lesbian after all), but because she knew what she was talking about, she was extremely passionate and intelligent, and I feel that she could get things done. It would also be great to bolster up the female minority on the hill.
Overall it was a great time and I'll be there again next round. Looking forward to the elections and more excited phone calls from my partner about Cannon's misfortunes. :)