The Salt Lake Tribune reports former U.S. House Rep. Ben McAdams and current state Sen. Kathleen Riebe both announced their candidacies this week.
McAdams served one term in Congress, from 2018 to 2020. In 2019, despite serving in a Republican-leaning House district that had voted for Trump, he voted to impeach the then-president.
Also a former Salt Lake County mayor and state senator, McAdams said he’s running because he’s concerned about the direction of the country and could not sit by and do nothing.
Riebe, a two-term lawmaker who represents Cottonwood Heights, was first to get in the race and said she wants to be a voice for working Utahns.
In 2023, the educator who trains rural teachers, was the Democratic nominee in the special election to replace former Rep. Chris Stewart in Congress. Riebe lost the election to Republican Celeste Maloy 57% to 33%.
The candidates will vie for a seat in the newly-created District 1, which encompasses most of Salt Lake County. It’s the only one of the four congressional districts where Democrats have a chance to win.