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Salt Lake County Democrats held their annual part convention Saturday, gearing up for the statewide convention on June 13.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

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MURRAY Salt Lake County Democrats regrouped Saturday, hoping to boost support for elections in coming years, and rally for issues including Medicaid expansion and equal pay for women, among others.

Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck, D-Salt Lake City, told the weekend caucus-goers that the recent failure of the Utah Legislature to act on Gov. Gary Herbert's Healthy Utah plan "has nothing to do with health care. It all has to do with politics."

Chavez-Houck said Republicans are either waiting for results of the upcoming presidential election or a U.S. Supreme Court ruling against the Affordable Care Act; or are "pandering to their congressional delegation," who have said federal money won't be available to cover Medicaid expansion in the states that opt to do so.

She encouraged county Democrats to make their voices heard, including attending meetings on the matter, writing letters to the editor and "enforcing good behavior" of lawmakers, even in opposing parties, who voted for the governor's plan to extend health care coverage to Utah's poor and uninsured.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill called the issue a "policymakers' failure." He said prison populations are mostly made up of people with mental health problems, drug addictions or who live in poverty.

"I am the most expensive solution to what is a public health and policy issue," he said Saturday. Gill said he believes proper health care could prevent some crimes from occurring.

Salt Lake City mayoral candidate and former Utah lawmaker Jackie Biskupski rallied for more available health care, as well. She said, "Medicaid expansion has to happen."

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Salt Lake County Democrats rally for upcoming issues, elections