The Carbon County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner Friday night drew about 200 party members, along with some political heavyweights, including Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, and Gov. Gary Herbert. Party Chair Kendra Seeley said, “The Republican Party in Carbon County is growing and that’s exciting.” Seeley arranged to have two of the top elected officials meet with the local media prior to speaking to the party faithful at the dinner. Sen. Lee declined to participate in the media event.
US Rep. Jason Chaffetz was immediately asked if he would support presumptive Presidential Nominee Donald Trump. Rep. Chaffetz responded, “I said I would support the Republican nominee and there’s nothing that unites Republicans like Hillary Clinton, so we’ll see coming out of the summer but I’ve said I intend to support the nominee.” The congressman continued, “There’s things I don’t like but there’s a lot to like. He is attracting and bringing millions of people to the Republican Party that haven’t been there in the past. I think people are frustrated and they’re mad at Washington DC- the lack of inaction- they want someone to come in and help blow the place up, so he fits that bill.”
On the frustration with Washington, D.C., Rep. Chaffetz offered his philosophy, a history lesson and a sports metaphor, saying, “Where there’s common ground, hey let’s do it. Where we need some compromise, we can do that. But I don’t want to sacrifice my principles. I don’t think you have to do that. But the framers of our Constitution envisioned a tough, arduous system that required a lot of debate. I’m not afraid of that debate. You come up with the best decision you can, and if you can move the ball 10 yards down the field, do it. Everything doesn’t need to be a touchdown.” He added, “I think what’s frustrating to the American People is when you don’t even vote- nothing’s happening- that’s what’s frustrating. I do get along pretty well with the Democrats and I think that’s a strength. I think it’s a real positive.”
Rep. Chaffetz said he believes the only reason President Obama hasn’t already designated a new Bears Ears National Monument in San Juan County is because of the work that is being done on Rep. Rob Bishop’s Public Lands Initiative. He said a coalition of groups and individuals, including representatives from Carbon and Emery Counties, have been working with Utah’s Congressional Delegation to come up with a win-win solution. “I think we have a good product. We’re not there yet, but we are trying to provide a certainty so people can live without the threat of more lawsuits and more monument designation, perhaps in the millions of acres.” I think it’s the only reason we haven’t a monument designation to date. And the President could change his mind and do it the next day, but I think the only reason we haven’t had one is because we’ve been earnestly working to try to come up with a good, rounded solution.”
The Congressman also addressed the so-called War on Coal, saying, “I believe in the all-of-the-above energy solution. We are the Saudi Arabia of coal right here in Utah and we should be doing a lot more of it. It is much more clean than people give it credit for. The technology has progressed over the decades, and hopefully a new administration will not use the blunt tool of the EPA and the Department of Interior, the Department of Energy, and all those regulatory bodies to try to shut all these coal mines down. We need the energy. We need energy independence. And the world needs the energy.
Chaffetz is being challenged in the GOP primary for Utah’s Third Congressional District seat by Chia-Chi Teng, a BYU Professor. The winner will face Stephen Tryon, who is running as a Democratic candidate for the office in the November general election. Tryon, former Senior Vice President of Overstock.com, ran against Chaffetz as an unaffiliated candidate in 2014. He garnered 1.8 percent of the vote in that election.
Coal equals success
Governor Gary Herbert declared that one of the reasons we’re having great economic success here in Utah is because we have a lower-than-average cost of power, mainly because we have coal. He said, “If we’re gonna burn coal it ought to be Utah coal which is high BTU, it burns hot, but it’s low sulfur content and it burns clean. We’ve cleaned up the production of energy.”
The Governor also issued a word of warning, saying,”I do not like what I’ve heard out of Hillary Clinton’s mouth when she says, ‘We’re gonna close down coal mines and put coal miners out of work.’ Not on my watch you’re not gonna- not here in Utah!” The Governor said he is in a position of having some say about the issue as Chairman of the National Governor’s Association. He said he is working with the Republican and Democratic Governors of other coal-producing states to push back against what he called, “This federal overreach.” He predicted, “Carbon based fuels and/or nuclear power will be the base load of energy generation in this country for the next generation, maybe longer.”
Governor Herbert also discussed some challenges to the proposed Oakland Coal Port. He affirmed, “As I’ve said, it’s cleaner burning coal and it’s certainly a legal product. And yet we find out on what we call the ‘Left Coast,’ in California, Oregon and Washington, we’re not allowed to ship it out of their ports. And that’s not right- that’s a violation of federal commerce laws, and yet it’s making it difficult for not only Utah but Wyoming and other states to ship legal product- coal- to other parts of the world that have a demand for it.”
The Governor is facing a challenge in the Republican primary by another Overstock.com executive, Chairman of the Board Johathan Johnson. Johnson defeated Herbert at the state Republican convention with a 55-45 victory among the GOP delegates, to force the primary election. Johnson was not at the Carbon County Lincoln Day Dinner but sent a campaign representative.
Other elected officials who attended the dinner included Utah State Auditor John Dougall, State Treasurer David Damschen, State Senator David Hinkins, Carbon County Commissioners Jae Potter, Casey Hopes and Jake Mellor, and Sheriff Jeff Wood.