No preliminary injunction for Utah GOP on SB54
The rotunda Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013 at the Utah State Capitol.
Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News
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SALT LAKE CITY The Utah Republican Party lost a bid in federal court Friday to put on hold a controversial law changing how political parties select nominees, but the GOP's case against the state is far from over.
"Today was just about enjoining the law, not about having the judge rule on the fundamental issues of the case itself," Utah Republican Party Chairman James Evans told reporters after the ruling by U.S. District Judge David Nuffer.
Evans said the party will decide whether to challenge the ruling against its request for a preliminary injunction against SB54 to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
He said it will be up to delegates to the party's annual convention in August whether to make the changes necessary to meet the requirements of the law passed by the 2014 Legislature as a compromise with leaders of the Count My Vote initiative.
If they don't, Evans said, there will be no Republican candidates on the 2016 ballot.
"That's just a reality we're living with," he said.
Still, Evans said he believes he judge "laid out a roadmap" for securing an injunction to put the law on hold while the case continues by suggesting there may be constitutional concerns about some of new law's requirements.
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No preliminary injunction for Utah GOP on SB54