Davis County conservatives vet candidates for county party leadership ahead of organizing convention

Don Guymon, a longtime party volunteer, and Terry Finley, a precinct- and caucus-era organizer, presented themselves as the leading candidates for Davis County Republican Party chair and vice chair at a Davis County Conservatives meeting the group held in April.

Guymon said he has served in party leadership at the county, state and national levels and returned to active county politics because he sees the party at a "critical time." He told attendees he wants to make sure "every Republican has a voice" and to protect what he described as the party's core principles. Finley described a lifelong attachment to Republican ideas dating to the Reagan era and highlighted his experience running caucuses and organizing precincts.

The forum also covered practical party business. Meeting organizers summarized that the county's organizing convention will include elections for four county officers (chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer) and that Davis County will elect 12 state central committee members (in addition to two ex officio slots for the county chair and vice chair). Speakers gave attendees dates for county and state organizing conventions; those dates were discussed during the meeting as April (organizing/convention references varied in remarks), with the state convention noted for mid-May.

Candidates answered questions on several party procedures. On the issue of registration at caucus night, Guymon and Finley said they were conflicted: both said they want to encourage recruitment and participation but also voiced concern about last-minute registrations that could be used to influence outcomes. Finley said well-trained precinct chairs and advance outreach were essential to a good caucus experience; Guymon said if registration at caucus were to be restricted, the party would need a stronger preregistration and outreach program.

Asked to name their favorite platform planks, Guymon said he favors the party''s pro-life principles, calling them "our most fundamental right," while Finley emphasized family and constitutional principles and recounted how the party's principles influenced him growing up. On the question of unifying the party, Guymon said: "Unity can only be built upon correct principles," and said he would promote the platform and party bylaws if elected.

Organizers said the Davis County Republican Party will run candidate vetting events ("meet the candidate" sessions) in the days before the organizing convention at local libraries and encouraged delegates to attend. The Davis County Conservatives's chair, who convened the meeting, also announced a slate of upcoming speakers and meetings the group plans to host.

No formal votes on party rules or officer elections were recorded at this meeting.

The meeting included public announcements about other legislative and party matters, including a separate forum of state central committee candidates that followed the officer-candidate segment.