Utah Democrats elect Josie Valdez as vice chair

Longtime Democratic activist Josie Valdez has been elected Utah Democratic Party vice chairwoman to replace Jim Judd, who died in August from injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash.

That party's state central committee elected Valdez Saturday on a second ballot after a first ballot narrowed the candidate field to Valdez and attorney Jane Marquardt.

"We were blessed with a great field of candidates; Josie Valdez will be a fantastic representative for the state of Utah, both as vice chair ... and as a member of the Democratic National Committee in Washington," Jim Dabakis, party chairman, said in a statement.

Valdez said she looked forward to working with Dabakis, Marquardt and the central committee.

"We are one party. We are one Democratic family," she said in a statement. "We are going to grow this party in ways we've never even imagined."

Valdez worked in the Utah office of the U.S. Small Business Administration for nearly 30 years. She was a lieutenant governor candidate in 2008, running with Bob Springmeyer, whom former Gov. Jon Huntsman defeated for a second term.

She also ran this fall for the Utah Senate District 8 but was defeated by Republican Brian Shiozawa.