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County voters overcome apathy, ‘fear of Republican backlash'
By Michael Johnson
This document was published online on Monday, March 10, 2008
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| Kim Capron of Powell, chair of Saturday’s county Democratic caucus, talks to supporters before nominating speeches were given inside the Park County Complex in Cody. (Photo by Ken Blackbird) |
So many people turned out to cast their votes during the Democratic caucus Saturday that the Park County Complex almost wasn't large enough for the event.
A line began to form long before 10 a.m. and stretched to the sidewalk.
The official voter count, according to Margaret Whited, the county's Democratic Party chairman, was 334. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama won 209 of those votes to New York Sen. Hillary Clinton's 124. One vote was cast as uncommitted.
“It was a great turnout,” Whited added. “I'm thrilled. I'm working on the apathy and fear most Democrats have in Park County.”
In Wyoming, Obama won 61 percent, or 5,378 votes, to Clinton's 38 percent, or 3,312 votes.
Obama won seven delegates and Clinton won five. In the overall race for the nomination, Obama leads 1,578-1,468, according to the latest tally by the Associated Press. It will take 2,025 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.
Whited says about 20 people showed up for the last Democratic caucus in the county in 2004.
But inside the Park County Complex, people filled the ground floor and upper level. Voting was conducted in a hallway near the elevator on the upper level.
“How many people are here for the first time?” asked Kevin Franken of Mammoth Hot Springs, who drove almost five hours to Cody so he could participate in the caucus. Many people in the crowd boisterously raised their hand.
“I'm amazed there are so many people in Park County who will admit they're Democrats,” said retired district judge Hunter Patrick of Powell. “You can attribute it to dissatisfaction with the current administration, concern about the ongoing war in Iraq, the economy and the national debt. It has come to the point where people are frustrated and ready to work for change.”
“We've often gone to the state convention without a full delegation,” said Kim Capron, executive director of the Powell chamber who served as caucus chairman Saturday. “This is really extraordinary.”
Capron said she worried how the Park County Complex would handle such a large crowd.
“We realized it would be a struggle,” she said. “I'm proud of the way people conducted themselves. It wasn't an easy situation. It wasn't always comfortable standing in line. It got hot and long, but it was an incredible group of people. The number of angry words I heard was minimal considering what we faced.”
Whited said many people turned out despite hesitations of revealing themselves as Democrats.
“There is a fear and intimidation factor,” she said. “One woman called to tell me she was afraid she would lose all her friends if they found out she was a Democrat.
“Some right wing Republicans - not all Republicans - make Democrats out to be in favor of baby killing, God hating and being non-patriotic, which really irks me,” Whited said. “Guess what? Everyone goes out to fight and die for this country. You can't tell the difference between a Republican, Democrat or independent.”
“Dissatisfaction with the present state of affairs has to be attributed to the turnout today,” Patrick said. “People aren't happy.”
Park County will send 16 delegates to the state convention May 23-24 in Jackson. Six delegates and six alternates - evenly split between males and females - will represent Clinton, while 10 delegates and 10 alternates - also evenly split - will represent Obama.
Female delegates representing Obama will be Whited, Nancy Crye, Chris Addison, Maxine Morris and Donna Whitson, while male delegates are Franken, Tom Whitson, Bob Gifford, Richard Fitton and Gene Blomendale.
Delegates representing Clinton are Patrick, Jess Dingman, Albert Nielsen, Kathy Andersen, Shawna Sickenger and Nancy Fees.
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