LAYTON — Although he emphasized the ability to provide stability and institutional knowledge, Todd Weiler lost his bid to retain the Utah GOP vice-chair’s post.

Nearly 1,900 delegates packed the Davis Conference Center, Saturday, the largest group ever assembled there. Weiler, a Woods Cross resident and lawyer at the Salt Lake City office of an international law firm, has served in politics for many years. That has included serving as vice chair of the Davis County Republican Party. and chair of the Davis Chamber of Commerce.

“Back in 1976, when I was 9-years old, I sneaked down from my room in the middle of the night to watch the returns of the Carter-Ford presidential election,” he told the group.

“With (current Lt. Gov.) Gary Herbert, we will soon have a friend in the Governor’s mansion,” Weiler said, referring to Gov. Jon Huntsman’s anticipated formal nomination and Senate approval as ambassador to China.

Huntsman has spoken in favor of civil unions as a possibility for gays and lesbians, a stance that has angered many Utah Republicans. That was not lost on many party office candidates, who emphasized they support “traditional marriage between a man and a woman.”

Weiler called the change in presidential administrations from Bush to Barak Obama “an assault on capitalism, a march toward socialism.”

The vice-chairmanship was won by a 75-vote margin by former state legislator Morgan Philpot, of south Salt Lake County.

The Party Chair position was won by Syracuse native Dave Hansen, who said, “When we campaign on our values, we win. We’ll win using such sites as Twitter and with shoe leather. We need to be a party that proposes solutions.”

National Committeewoman and former federal House of Representatives member Enid Greene Mickelsen, was also among those who addressed the enthusiastic crowd.

“In the last 100 years, there has never been a more important time to be a Republican. We represent the majority of Americans. It is our job to bring our fellow countrymen the facts.

“The times demand that we speak out,” she said. “This party needs a million voices speaking the real facts. We should not yield on our principles, but be happy warriors.”

In addition to a strong Davis County delegation representation, several county folks were instrumental in making sure various aspects of the convention moved forward.

For example, Sheriff Bud Cox served as Sergeant at Arms. Ben Horsley was co-chair of the elections committee and spearheaded vote-counting procedures. Don Guymon served as timekeeper during party office candidate speeches.

Some 55 percent of delegates attended the organizing convention, which will be followed by next year’s candidate nominating convention.

“Being a Republican means something to me,” said outgoing state chair Stan Lockhart. “It makes for better government. Our morals are given to us by God,” he said in an emotional speech at the end of his two-year term. Lockhart, of Provo, did not seek re-election.

All elections this year will be to fill municipal slots across the county and state. However, all candidates for those positions are officially nonpartisan.

tbusselberg@davisclipper.com