Utah Republicans have been experiencing tumultuous times — a congressional district and several state legislative seats turned blue in the 2018 election, their party infighting has made headlines and some worry their messages aren’t resonating with young people.
Now, competing factions are struggling to take control of the Utah GOP and put it on firmer ground before the next statewide election. On one hand are purists who blame the party’s woes on a weakened caucus-convention system and a gradual drift from conservative principles. On the other are sitting officials and establishment Republicans who want to move past divisive debates over the election process and refocus on aiding GOP candidates.