Utah’s new Democratic strategy isn’t new enough

I don’t see a blue Utah on the horizon. Especially when there are more compelling political strategies to consider.

Recently, the new DNC Chair Ken Martin visited Utah with a pledge: $1 million in support over four years to help Democrats reclaim political relevance in this deep-red state. Shortly after, Utah Democrats elected Brian King as Utah Democratic Party Chair. (Congratulations, Brian!)

Some Utah Democrats are cautiously hoping Utah can still break the Republican supermajority with a flood of Democratic wins.

King said, “Some people will tell you that Utah is too far gone, that we’ll never turn it blue, shouldn’t even try. That’s garbage, that’s cowardice.”

I agree with King. Sort of.

One thing is certain: Utahns are tired of Republican legislators who don’t listen to them. Recent surveys prove this is top of mind for Utahns. But the Republican supermajority allows them to ignore their constituents without electoral consequence. The Amendment D fiasco is a recent example of the Legislature ignoring Utahns’ clear directive without accountability.

But I don’t see a blue Utah on the horizon. Especially when there are more compelling political strategies to consider.

My horizon is purple — if we play it right.

This moment in history is different. The volunteers and donors that fueled the Democratic party have lost their energy, and the rank-and-file voter is shaken. Rightfully so; 2024 was a reckoning.

It’s no secret that Democrats’ influence in this state has waned over the last few decades. Utah Democrats once held a meaningful opposition in the state Legislature. In 1991, Democrats held 39.4% of the total Legislature (combined in House and Senate, the high-water mark). In 2025, it’s 19.2%. Good intentions and earnestness alone won’t be enough.

Of course, the policies and attacks on the rule of law from the present administration have prompted some — on both sides of the political spectrum — to regain some of their lost energy and interest in political involvement. But a feeling of hopelessness and voter fatigue persists.

If the party bosses at the DNC really believed Utah could turn the tide, they would spend more than $22,500 per month to fund office staff. The investment does not signal a confident plan to mount a counteroffensive.

We need something new and compelling. Something that speaks uniquely to Utah voters: Respect, rights, compromise, compassion and coordination.

To break the Utah Republican supermajority, “winning” must look like something else. A plurality of political parties could end the supermajority: More parties means building coalitions and finding solutions through compromise and good policy — not hot rhetoric. And a plurality may be closer to reality than we think.

Nearly 60% of Americans believe that the two party system “does such a poor job that a third major party is needed.” In Utah, more than one half of active voters are registered Republican. (And we know many of those voters are only registered Republican to vote in the primary elections.) Democrats do not account for even one quarter of active voters — the number of unaffiliated voters is almost double the number of Democrats.

In other words, a new, combined political force — if it stays focused, patient and principled — could thrive in Utah.

If you don’t identify with the Republican party anymore, but are trying to “change things from within,” that time has also passed. It passed a decade ago. The result of that sentiment is the supermajority.

The Forward Party has a new vision for the number of parties that should be at the table, and it’s more than one or two. Our goal is to build a broader coalition; not just with Democrats, but also with principled Republicans and Independents who want to see a return to good policy and ethical government. A return to legislators who listen to constituents and respect one another. This shouldn’t be that hard.

It’s what the voters want, and it’s the only viable strategic plan for upending the supermajority.

Michelle Quist is the chair of the Forward Party of Utah, which consists of the recently combined United Utah Party and Utah Forward Party. She was a long-time Republican Party leader, including a state party officer, until the party left her and she finally gave up. She ran an unsuccessful third party campaign for attorney general last year in an attempt to get politics out of our state’s top law firm.

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