Thread by @SchottHappens

Good morning from Alta High School.

I'm here for the Salt Lake County GOP's quarterly central committee meeting.

Almost all of the seats in the #utleg in play are in Salt Lake County, so this meeting is very important with just over two months to go until election day #utpol

County party chairman @cnull tells me they feel good about picking up some seats in the #utleg this year, but he's also feeling pressure to deliver.

Null says redistricting was favorable for the GOP, which is a reason why he's feeling some optimism #utpol

As the meeting gets underway, somebody in the back yells, "Let's hear it for Republicans!"

His exhortation gets a smattering of applause.

"That was weak," he said.

Chairman Null jokes about playing AC/DC music to pump everybody up.

"Not everybody likes that," he says #utpol

In his opening remarks, @cnull says "I think Salt Lake County is ready for some change," Null says to some applause #utpol

"I'd like to also welcome the Salt Lake Tribune here today. Bryan Schott is here today," Null says to an audible groan from the crowd.

I see my reputation precedes me!

Null says he appreciates the media being here today, which brings some polite applause #utpol

Null says election integrity is very important to him, but he wants to focus on the future, not the past.

"I said when I ran, we weren't going to call 2020 a fraudulent election," Null said. "We're going to focus on electing Republicans and election integrity." #utpol

Null says he noticed Salt Lake County was hiring poll workers and urged anyone who was interested to sign up.

Poll workers are different than poll watchers. Watchers represent the party and may only watch. Workers help out at the polls on election day #utpol

During the candidate meet and greet prior to the meeting, I noticed several volunteers for candidates snapping pictures of me and the Tribune's photographer #utpol

The leader of the Utah Patriots militia walked past me while recording a video for Telegram.

Fun fact: Earlier this month, he offered to sit down for an interview.

I accepted immediately, but he canceled at the last minute.

I'm trying to reschedule, but he won't respond #utpol

Walking into the meeting today, this car was parked outside.

Yikes! #utpol

Chairman Null says the party will soon launch an outreach program targeting Latino voters.

"If we're going to make gains, it will take a program like this," Null says.

That's a smart move as Latino voters are increasingly shifting toward the GOP #utpol

npr.org/2022/07/23/111…

In fact, targeted outreach to Latino voters is a REALLY smart move by the SLCO GOP.

According to the Census Bureau, the Hispanic population in Salt Lake County jumped nearly 32% between 2010 and 2020 #utpol

Null stresses the need for party unity.

"These are our party nominees. I don't care who you supported in the primaries, the party has spoken and that's who we need to get behind," Null says.

This same message was delivered during the state party meeting two weeks ago #utpol

Null says the party is not doing a good job getting their message out.

"That's not the fault of the media that's here, or maybe it is," he says.

The plan is to solicit more op-eds that they'll try to get published in local media #utpol

Null says if they can't get those op-eds published, they'll post them to the party's webpage.

"These need to be factually accurate. We can't just say anything we want. We're not the party of misinformation," Null says #utpol

This is a good strategy #utpol

Null notes Salt Lake County is the battleground county in Utah, with most of the swing seats.

He says other county parties are pitching in to help elect Republicans in SLCO.

"We need to get rid of all these lefties who want to pay more for gas or love ESG," Null says #utpol

After a lengthy debate over a change to the rules, the meeting is over.

Now we get to hear from some candidates.

First up is SLCO Clerk Goud Maragani #utpol

Maragani says voters like hearing about a verifiable chain of custody for ballot drop boxes and hand counting one race to verify machines.

"I've had so many Democrats say I'm the first Republican they would ever vote for," Maragani says #utpol

Maragani says his opponent is lying about him wanting to ban mail in voting.

"That's not even possible. It's up to the state legislature," Maragani says.

"They're also mocking my name," he says. "It's so petty" #utpol

Maragani takes a shot at the Tribune and this tweet from @RobertGehrke.

"The Tribune is a nonprofit organization, and they're taking sides in an election. Somebody should take a hard look at their nonprofit status," he says #utpol

https://twitter.com/RobertGehrke/status/1560166276227481600

Nick Roberts, GOP candidate for Salt Lake County Sheriff is up now.

"The rotating door allowing prisoners to get out and reoffend," Roberts says #utpol

Whoa!

Roberts just said he was a "Constitutional Sheriff."

That's an ideology that grew out of the Posse Comitatus movement in the 1970s. They falsely believe the county sheriff is the ultimate law enforcement in the U.S. and can choose which laws to enforce and ignore #utpol

The Southern Poverty Law Center says the Constitutional Sheriff movement is a far-right hate group.

The ADL says the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) is an "anti-government extremist group" #utpol

adl.org/resources/repo…

Roberts finishes his speech promising "there will never be a Uvalde in Salt Lake County," referring to the massacre at an elementary school in Texas #utpol

It's open discussion time with Chairman @cnull.

A person stands up and says they have to put pressure on the Legislature to repeal SB54, which established the signature path to the ballot.

Null agrees.

"SB54 is a nightmare. This is our party," he says #utpol

I doubt there's enough support to pass a repeal of SB54 this year.

Several members of the Legislature would have been eliminated at convention this year without SB54.

Even if a repeal were to pass, Gov. Spencer Cox specifically said he would veto it #utpol

Next speaker wonders if Mike Lee has "abandoned Salt Lake County."

"I don't see any sign that he's running anywhere in the county," he says.

Null responds Lee has been "very supportive" of their downballot candidates #utpol

"I keep seeing on Facebook he publishes pictures of (Evan) McMullin. Why does he do that?" the speaker says.

He's probably talking about these ads.

"I think he has people working for him who are McMullin supporters," he says #utpol