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Davis County Commission Democratic Party candidate Laren "Larry" Livingston holds a picture Friday, July 1, 2016, in Bountiful, of an elementary class at LakeView Academy in Saratoga Springs that he was teacher of. Livingston will compete with Republican Party nominee Randy Elliot in November.

Doug Gibson, Standard-Examiner

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Randy Elliott, Republican candidate for the Davis County Commission.

Brandon Burk , submitted by candidate

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BOUNTIFUL — Laren “Larry” Livingston is the Democratic Party candidate for Davis County commissioner.

He has no money to spend on the campaign. As of March 29, he had spent nothing on his campaign. He has no signs or websites. He’s made a few appearances at party events and spoke at the county convention. 

What he has is a telephone, and that, he says, is his chief campaign tool. The Bountiful resident, 59, dials about 150 persons a day, he estimates. He calls them, introduces himself, and campaigns. 

He has views that might raise eyebrows of many Democrats. Until recently, Livingston supported Donald Trump for president. Now he’s undecided between Trump and … Darrell Castle, the nominee of the right-wing Constitution Party. 

• RELATED: Hiatt concedes; Elliott the winner for Davis Commission GOP nomination

Livingston will get no money, and no endorsement from the county Democratic party. “Mr. Livingston’s views in nearly every issue are in stark contrast to traditional Democratic Party views,” said Stroh DeCaire, Davis County Democratic Party chairman.

“When I was 20, I thought everyone had to agree with me. I don’t have that big of an ego now,” Livingston said.

Being in stark contrast with Democratic Party views only helps his campaign in Davis County, he adds. He recently received a zero score from Equality Utah’s 2016 Voter Guide. Livingston’s response: Equality Utah doesn’t believe in religious freedom.

Randy Elliott, the Republican Party nominee for commission, said he welcomes the challenge of a campaign with Livingston. “I’m willing to talk to everyone,” Elliott said. He’s spoken to Livingston on more than one occasion, he added.

A FREQUENT LOCAL CANDIDATE

Livingston, who grew up in Oregon, served an LDS mission in Minnesota in the 1970s. He received a degree from accounting from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, and he worked in banking and finance. Later, he earned a masters in education from the University of Phoenix. One of his full-time teaching jobs was at the charter school Lakeview Academy in Saratoga Springs.

In recent years, he’s been a substitute teacher, often with the Granite School District, and he’s worked at call centers to help make ends meet.

In the 1990s and the first decade of the 20th century, Livingston often ran for local offices, first as a Democrat and later as a Libertarian. He took about a decade off before deciding to run again. 

He decided to run again because 2016 is a year where the political norm has been cast aside. “I haven’t seen this since 1990,” Livingston said. He thinks the possibility of Davis County electing a Democrat is as high as it’s been since the last Democrat served on the commission, J.D. Holbrook.

Holbrook, who has served as Davis County Democratic Party chairman, said Livingston is a better candidate than his no-budget status might indicate. “Larry is really, really a bright guy. He is very analytical. He is well-based on history,” including politics within Utah and Davis County, Holbrook said. He also compliments Livingston’s knowledge of Mormon history, saying his views have respect among some Mormon history intellectuals.

THREE CAMPAIGN POSITIONS

Despite a frequency to toss barbed comments — “I think it’s been taken over by a bunch of Marxist extremists” is Livingston’s opinion of the county Democrats — he has three specific campaign positions. 

One is the salary of a Davis County commissioner. It’s way too high, roughly $180,000, he says. That’s a huge increase of fewer than 30 years ago, when it was about $30,000, he adds. How many working people see increases that dramatic, he asks.

Another position is reform of fines and court costs in the county for minor offenses. Offenses such as failing to pay vehicle insurance, smoking marijuana, or even shoplifting should not come with large fines and fees that many offenders are saddled with for years and longer due to economic woes. “The punishment should fit the crime,” he said.

The wealthy don’t worry about fees and fines, but they really hit the poor hard. “I would like to bring this issue up,” he said.

Another goal he’d have as a commissioner is making sure the Davis Applied Technology Center has a course in California geography. Speaking from personal experience, many of the call centers deal with California, and it can be tough keeping up with the state, he said.

“DATC is a program that I think really helps people,” he said. The call centers provide ” jobs for a lot of people,” Livingston said. He’d also like to see more coordination between DATC and Hill Air Force Base to make sure both benefit from each other.

“(Larry) is not afraid to ask the uncomfortable questions,” Holbrook said. He’s not an obstructionist. “He wants a good reason for why we are going to do this.”

HOME-PHONE POLLS

Livingston believes he has a chance to win in November. From his Bountiful apartment, he calls 150 people a day, and says his “polling” shows support from disappointed Republicans and Davis County Democrats. Previous efforts have not borne him election victory, though.

He says despite his zero-dollars financial report, he’s picked up about $20 from phone calls. 

“A dollar here and there. I call and call and call,” he said.

Any “Democrat” who supports Donald Trump is not a Democrat, maintains DeCaire. “I don’t understand why there is a D behind his name,” he said.

Holbrook chuckles at the refusal of the Davis Democrats to offer money to Livingston. “That’s nothing new,” he said. Holbrook, 71, who today runs a secure documents disposal business, said Livingston’s positions, coupled with his intellect, can resonate with voters.

“Larry will put on a reasonable campaign. The Democratic Party is a broad tent. It’s inclusive,” Holbrook said.

He echoes Livingston’s appraisal of 2016. “I have never seen a political year quite like this.”

dgibson@standard.net