LOGAN – A Meet the Candidate forum scheduled by the League of Women Voters of Cache Valley on Sept. 10 had everything inquiring local residents could ask for, except Republican incumbents.
While dark horse Democrat and Independent candidates for Districts 2, 3 and 5 in the Utah Legislature and Utah’s 2nd Congressional District showed up ready to discuss their ideas with a local audience at the First Presbyterian Church in Logan, their GOP opponents were notable by their absence.
Democratic candidate Peter Crosby mildly suggested that U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-2nd Dist.) was likely in Dallas, attending the second evening of the GOP’s midterm convention.
Independent candidate Patrick Belmont was sharply critical of his opponent, state Rep. Jason Thompson (R-River Heights), for his absence from the LWV forum.
The water scientist from Utah State University said the incumbent Republican won in 2024 after running away from every opportunity for face-to-face debate and seems to be following that same strategy in their current rematch.
The absence of the GOP candidates gave their Democratic opponents a golden opportunity to score points with the local crowd who spontaneously applauded many of their comments in response to softball questions from moderator Tom Williams of Utah Public Radio.
In addition to Belmont, other candidates for state offices who appeared at the LWV forum included Barbara Haggerty, who is facing three-term incumbent Rep. Mike Petersen in House District 2, and Kendra Penry, the Democratic hopeful in House District 5, where she is running against incumbent state Rep. Casey Snider (R-Paradise).
In an earlier session of the LWV forum, Cache County Council member Kathryn Beus was the only incumbent Republican to appear. She was joined by Democratic candidates for county offices Allison Goulais, Mark A. Hafziger and Lizette Villegas.
In the upcoming Nov. 3 election, Beus is facing Constitution Party candidate Peter Thatcher in Southeast District 7, while Goulais opposes incumbent council member Joann Bennett in Logan District 2, Nafziger faces incumbent council chair Sandi Goodlander in Logan District 3 and Villegas opposed incumbent council member Mark Hurd in Northeast District 5.
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan, non-profit group founded in 1920 to promote voting rights and provide voter education to all American citizens.