In the last two years I’ve received hundreds of emails, phone calls and had conversations with citizens who are concerned about the future of our Utah State Democratic Party. We have candidates who feel disenfranchised and ignored, and party members that have grown alarmed at the tone and the message coming from Party Headquarters.

After a great deal of prompting and peer pressure, and in spite of my deep respect for current Chair Holland, I am now a candidate for Chair of the Utah Democratic Party in 2009.

The constant call of “Democrats don’t win in Utah,” has been transformed from a GOP punch line into a Democratic Party mantra; it’s embarrassing and it needs to stop. The Democratic Party in Utah is hurting. We have consistently conceded the debate in the battle of ideas. It is time to evaluate our situation and make some momentous changes.

It is critical that we reverse direction and reclaim our narrative. For too many years, the message coming from Democratic leadership has been that we need to move to the right, compromise our values, and let the Republicans have their way. It was believed that this would help us win more elections. Sadly, it hasn’t. We played the game by Republican rules, operated at a self-imposed disadvantage and we’ve lost.

“Go along to get along,” is not a party platform, it is surrender.

I know that there are superior, more economical ways to support our party members and win votes, and I know how to get it done. From the Internet to digital television, from radio to print, our options to deliver our message are limitless. In order to win, we must abandon the antiquated strategies of 30 years ago and embrace innovation.

It is time for the Party to educate Utah voters about who we are, what we stand for, and deliver the message that Democrats are more than a watered down alternative to the empty, harmful policies of the Utah GOP – We are the best choice for Utah voters.

As your Party Chair I will work to bring that message to the people of Utah, and in doing so will help us return to a position of strength where, defining ourselves once more as Democrats, we can bring real, progressive leadership to the great state of Utah

As we move forward in this process, this website is where I will be laying out my strategies and ideas, based on my experiences from years of political work, advertising, and marketing on what the State Party can do and must do, to rebrand ourselves, and start winning again.

Sincerely,

Jeff Bell
April 2009