Cache GOP chair not surprised by Johnson’s win at state convention

Utah’s incumbent Governor Gary Herbert was topped at Saturday’s state Republican Convention by challenger Jonathan Johnson. Johnson received 55 percent of the delegate vote. Herbert received 45 percent.

Cache County Republican Party Chairman Boyd Pugmire said he was not surprised that Johnson got more votes than the two-term governor. But Pugmire says he thinks that will change.

He says Johnson spent a lot of money and he has hired a lot of experienced staff from throughout the state.

“I think going into a primary it will be a whole different dynamic when you get all the citizens in the state voting,” says Pugmire. “I’m not picking a winner or loser here, I’m just saying that we are in a whole different game now and it depends on how each candidate plays it over the next couple of months.”

He says there is wide difference between the number of delegates who participated on Saturday and how many thousands of voters will participate in the primary election in June.

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