Utah's LDS Dems credit 1st Presidency letter for record-breaking caucus turnout

Utah State Democratic Party Chairman Jim Debakis was delighted
with the soaring numbers of LDS Utahns who turned out for the
Democratic Party's caucus meetings last Tuesday, and Craig Janis,
head of outreach for the newly launched LDS Dems Caucus, talked
about the increased interest in the organization just this
week.

With The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expressing
concern over a lack of political participation in the state and
amid worries over the ways an increasingly one-party system of
government in the state can be harmful to all citizens, Mormon or
not, LDS Democrats were impressed to hear the following read over
the pulpit in church meetings in a letter from the First
Presidency of the Church in recent weeks:

"Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in the
platforms of the various political parties.  We encourage
members to attend their precinct caucus meetings."

In addition, the LDS Church directed local congregations to
cancel activities on March 13 and 15, allowing church members to
attend their Democratic and Republican caucus meetings held those
evenings, respectively. The result? Record participation.

That's this week on the Cricket and Seagull.