Rocky Mountain Democrats Enjoy Day In The Sun

Party's Focus On Western States Means Delegations Like Montana's And Utah's Get More Attention Than Usual

by Gregg Sangillo

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008


For many years, the Democratic Party has written off some Western and Rocky Mountain states as unwinnable in general elections. But Barack Obama's huge success (albeit in Democratic caucuses and primaries) in heavily Republican states such as Montana and Wyoming now has some Democrats thinking there's hope in the Rocky Mountain states. And Western state delegates are feeling a little more love from the national Democratic Party.

Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean "has put a lot of emphasis on winning the West as part of the 50-state strategy," says Montana delegate Scott Martin. Peter Corroon, the Democratic mayor of Utah's Salt Lake County, represents almost 980,000 people out of 2.5 million people in the staunchly conservative state. "It's sometimes a little lonely being a Democrat in Utah, but we're starting to see, like some of our surrounding states, where people are looking for a change and seeing that Democrats can win even in the red states."

This translates into more attention in Denver. "We're very privileged in the state of Montana to have Gov. Brian Schweitzer speaking Tuesday evening," says Martin. Schweitzer's podium slot is not surprising given his success. A Democrat elected in 2005, he's become hugely popular in a mostly conservative state. Schweitzer has also been a cause celebre for liberal blogger and Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsos. Schweitzer is expected to speak on energy issues, and on Wednesday, at "The Big Tent" gathering for bloggers, a discussion will be held on "Western Perspectives on the Drilling Boom."

Politicians from a state such as Montana usually take a more centrist approach than the national Democratic Party. And as a general rule out West, both moderates and progressives oppose gun control. "We have a different view about guns than people in New York City or inner-city D.C. or inner-city Chicago," says Montana superdelegate Ed Tinsley, who is a lifelong gun owner.

Kurt Bestor, a Utah delegate, symbolizes the bipartisan nature of being a Western state Democrat, and he straddles many different worlds. A musical composer for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, he's lobbied for traditional liberal issues such as the arts. But his brother-in-law is Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., a strong proponent of fiscal discipline. Bestor got his start composing music for the Donnie & Marie Show, the variety program hosted by the Osmonds, who are Mormons and strong Mitt Romney supporters. And Bestor, who wrote a musical composition for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, has nice things to say about onetime Olympic organizer and Republican Romney. "I know him quite well. I wouldn't vote for him, but I definitely would go out to lunch and have a good time with him." Bestor's wife, Patrina, is from Kenya, where Obama's father was born. Bestor, who calls Utah a "one-party" GOP state, wants to "take the energy, bring it back, and let people realize that it's important to have a two-party system."

Jason Smith of Montana represents another key component of the American West: Native Americans. Smith is the get-out-the-vote coordinator for the Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation. In an interview at a Native American powwow on Sunday in Civic Center Park, Smith said, "Obama has visited Montana four times, and he's going to Billings in a few days. So he's paid a lot of attention to Montana, which we really appreciate."

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