WOODSCROSS -- When Todd Weiler was elected to head the Davis County Republican Party last year, one of his goals was uniting its members.
It's one of his disappointments that there are are still factions within the party. "We have people who are still trying to prove they're the genuine Republicans," Weiler said, noting that it's still his hope and intention to bring the county's party members together -- whether the individuals are very conservative in their points of view, more moderate or somewhere in-between.
"They're all represented in Davis County," Weiler said, and even though he believes Davis County Republicans may overall be a bit more conservative than elsewhere in the nation, there are also moderates.
Even among state legislators in the county, there's a broad spectrum of viewpoints. "On the conservative side, you have (Rep.) Don Bush and on the moderate side there's (Rep.) Sheryl Allen," but Weiler emphasizes they are both Republicans and represent the Republican party.
"Any political viewpoint you can find in the national or state Republican party, we have represented here as well." He believes it's important for those representing such divergent viewpoints to recognize that those with other views can still be Republican.
Weiler said that one of his successes as the county's party head was that he persuaded then-Gov. Mike Leavitt to accept only one name for Davis County State Sen. Dave Steele's replacement.
Weiler said Leavitt traditionally wanted two or three names submitted to consider in replacing a state legislator, but the system has not always served the party well, Weiler said.
He explained that in 1995 or 1996, the governor was given three names to choose from to fill a mid-term vacancy in Utah County. One of the people suggested was extremely popular with party officials there. Another was only only mildly popular, while the third had little support. The governor chose the least popular. That did not go over well with county party officials.
Weiler said he is proud that he "took an aggressive stand with Leavitt, and only submitted the name of Sheldon Killpack," whom Leavitt appointed to fill Steele's unexpired term. He said Leavitt wanted at least two names. "I had very specific orders from those at our mini-convention held in June not to give him more than one name, and I would have heard about it if I'd given him more."
Weiler, who was elected as the Davis County Republican chairman last April, still has one more year in his term.
He said that prior to his election, "quite honestly I didn't know what to expect, but it's been more time consuming and harder than I expected."
Weiler is a lawyer, is active in his church and has served as a Woods Cross City council member, besides being a husband and father.When asked how he finds time to fit it all in, he said he couldn't without a supportive wife. He said the busiest times for him within the party have coincidentally been the busiest times for him at work too, adding to the stress.
In addition to support from his wife, Weiler has found that his executive committee has been every helpful. "They always come through," he said.
Weiler believes President George W. Bush will be re-elected.
He said that when looking at the polls, Bush has a strong lead on Sen. John Kerry in the states he carried in 2000. Weiler believes that because of the electoral college system, Kerry would have have to win every state which Al Gore won in 2000, plus one, and Weiler doesn't believe that Kerry can do it, especially since California has elected a Republican governor.