GOP delegates chose Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs as their nominee to replace retiring Mitt Romney in the U.S. Senate. According to the Associated Press, Staggs secured nearly two-thirds of all delegate votes — hours after he was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
But a blessing from the former president may not be enough to carry Staggs across the finish line in June. Current Congressional District 3. Rep. John Curtis, former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson, Jason Walton and Brent Orrin Hatch will also be on the ballot. All four gathered enough signatures to qualify for the contest.
The winner will proceed to the November general election to face Democrat Caroline Gleich, a mountaineer and environmental activist who earned her party’s nomination Saturday, with support from 92% of delegates.
For Congressional District 1, representing portions of Summit County, republican incumbent Blake Moore will face off against Ogden electrician Paul Miller. After two rounds of voting Miller received 55% of the vote compared to Moore’s 41%.
The winner of the primary will go on to face the democratic challenger, businessman Bill Campbell.
It took six rounds of voting for delegates to nominate a candidate to replace Curtis, who gave up his seat to run for Senate. State Senator Mike Kennedy got the nod for the nomination but still must square off with J.R. Bird, Case Lawrence, Stewart Peay, and John “Frugal” Dougall to make it to November. The primary winner will go on to face Park City resident and former Summit County Councilmember Glenn Wright in November.
According to the AP, incumbent Utah Governor Spencer Cox was booed when he appeared on stage. He lost the delegate vote in the second round of voting to state representative Phil Lyman who received 68% of the vote compared to Cox’s 33%. However, Cox gathered signatures and will appear on the June ballot.
Brian King, who represents parts of Salt Lake City and Summit County in the Utah House, is the Democratic nominee for governor.
In uncontested races, incumbent republican state senator John Johnson will face Democrat Stacy Bernal in Senate District 3 representing portions of North Summit County. And incumbent republican state representative Mike Kohler will compete with Democrat Julie Monahan for House District 59 representing those living within Park City city limits and Wasatch County voters in November.
Utah state representative for district 4, representing portions of Summit County incumbent Kera Birkeland also won the delegate vote Saturday. Her opponent in November will be Park City resident and program director at Mountain Mediation Center Kris Campbell.
And in the state school board race for the Park City and Snyderville Basin area, District 6, incumbent Carol Barlow Lear is running unopposed.
