SALT LAKE CITY — Utah GOP Chairman James Evans was surprised to hear the state Democratic Party is hosting a party to watch Wednesday's debate among the 11 leading Republican candidates for president, including front-runner Donald Trump.

"You think I ought to go over there and drop off some Republican registration forms?" Evans joked. He said the Utah GOP had no plans to hold a similar event for the second debate, set to start at 8 p.m. Wednesday on CNN.

But for members of the state's minority political party, the expected friction between Trump and the more mainstream Republicans vying for voter attention should make for an entertaining evening, Utah Democratic Party Chairman Peter Corroon said.

"We thought we'd have a little fun with it," Corroon said. "It's not so much the strife as the crazy ideas. … I don't know if we'll be cheering, but we'll probably be aghast at what they're saying."

Evans didn't sound very excited about Trump, the often bombastic, billionaire first-time candidate, having another opportunity to reach millions of viewers in what's being billed by the cable news network as round 2 of a heavyweight bout.

"I don't think Trump is a favorite choice of Utahns. His entire approach is contrary to Utah values. While so many things he's saying certainly resonate, I don't see it," Evans said. "Trump's whole display, it's off-putting."

While much of the focus has been on Trump's negative statements about everything from Mexican immigrants to fellow GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina's face, Evans said his "Make America Great Again" message appeals to voters.

"No more business as usual is what it comes down to," the state party leader said, citing "the real frustration within the Republican Party with Washington seeming to put Americans last."

Impact of a Trump ticket

But having Trump at the top of the GOP ticket in November 2016 could hurt other Republicans on the ballot in Utah, Evans said, especially with the unaffiliated voters the party usually attracts.

BYU political science professor Michael Barber said if the GOP nominates Trump, Utah could become a "hotly contested battleground state" in the presidential election for the first time since 1964.

"That should be of concern to Republicans, if Utah is a competitive state," Barber said, citing an August poll by the BYU Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy that showed Trump narrowly defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton in Utah.

Another August poll, by Dan Jones & Associates for UtahPolicy.com, showed a similar outcome in the hypothetical matchup between Trump and the former first lady, senator and secretary of state.

"I think there are a lot of Republicans who don't like Donald Trump, but are willing to hold their nose and vote for him rather than vote for a Democrat," Barber said. It's that lack of enthusiasm that could hurt other Republicans on the ballot, he said.

University of Utah political science professor Tim Chambless of the U.'s Hinckley Institute of Politics said even if Trump is just seen as "the face" of the GOP in 2016, Republicans could be hurt.

Chambless referred to the 1964 race between Democratic President Lyndon Johnson and Republican Barry Goldwater, "where the Republican Party is perceived as so far right politically" that Democrats win big across the country, including in Utah.

Another BYU political science professor, Chris Karpowitz, said at this point in the race, the most important audience for the debate may be the party leaders, elected officials and donors who have yet to back a candidate.

"They're trying to settle on a candidate who will serve the Republican Party well. I think they generally agree Trump wouldn't do that, but they haven't converged on another candidate," Karpowitz said.

Related

Utahns would vote for Trump over Clinton despite disliking him more, poll shows

Utahns don't like Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton, and they dislike Republican front-runner Donald Trump even more.

Not everyone is undecided, however.

A month ago, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, announced he was endorsing Bush as "a doer, not just a talker." Bush later held a fundraising lunch in a private Utah home that cost as much $10,000 to attend.

Hatch said in a statement Monday that he was looking forward to Wednesday's debate.

"I'm confident Jeb will do what he does best: Ignore distractions and put forward a set of thoughtful, serious ideas to get America back on track — ideas that all Americans can rally behind," the senator said.

For others, however, it's likely to take longer to pick a favorite. In the past two elections, Utahns had one of the state's most popular politicians in the race, Mitt Romney.

With so many candidates still in the race, Wednesday's debate probably won't settle the question of who Romney's successor should be. Evans said Utahns should be watching to see how each handles Trump.

"I would find it hard to believe they wouldn't try to start to neutralize Trump a little bit. It won't all be the Trump show," Evans said. "If they want to be president, they're going to have to be able to break out and show they have the leadership."

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