For far too long, the Salt Lake County Democrats have been playing defense – focusing on maintaining the local, state, and federal races rather than expanding out and attempting to win more races. This is understandable, as reaching out to virgin territory is risky and takes resources away from the races we have won in the past. It is risky because it means that we may lose races from time to time in what we all believed to be Democratic strong holds. It is risky because we, as Democrats, feel that we are surrounded on all sides and that this would be a waste of resources.

I say to you now that these ideas are false.

For the first time in over forty years, Salt Lake County supported the Democratic presidential candidate over the Republican. Furthermore, the shifting demographics of the county are bringing more liberally minded youth into voting age. Finally, as Salt Lake becomes more and more urban, we take on the statistical advantage that Democrats are favored in big cities. This trifecta means that now is the time to strike at the hart of the Republicans, now is the time that we need to build alliances, now is the time that we must act. Failure to do so will doom us to another forty years of failure.

One problem with the old way of thinking is that it focuses too much on one election – whereas my ideas focus on the next 10. We may not see more victories in any given election, but I guarantee that we will see more victories over all.

When the party plays defense, they require a charismatic candidate to win in non-traditional areas; when the party plays offense, they require that candidates stick to the Democratic ideals we all pride ourselves in. The offensive version avoids us being angry at DINO’s (Democrats in name only) and allows our message to less easily get distorted by Republicans.

We can win and we will win. Vote Curtis Haring for 2nd Vice Chair this April 18th at Cottonwood High. Details can be found here.