⏰ Tick Tock
50 - Days until candidate filing opens for the 2026 midterm elections (1/2/2026)
68 - Days to the start of the 2026 Utah Legislature (1/20/2026).
355 - Days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026)
1,090 - Days until the 2028 presidential election (11/7/2028)
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📰 Above the fold
In a move few Utah political observers will find surprising, former Democratic congressman Ben McAdams announced a run for Congress on Thursday morning. He joins a fast-growing field of Democrats eyeing a newly created, Democratic-leaning congressional district centered in Salt Lake County.
McAdams is the most prominent Democrat in the race, followed closely by state Sen. Kathleen Riebe who kicked off her campaign a day earlier.
Several other Utah Democrats have filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission—though it’s likely not all are seeking the same seat. They include: They include:
The field could grow larger. State Sen. Nate Blouin is said to be eyeing a run, as is Caroline Gleich, the 2024 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate who lost to Republican John Curtis.
Even if every declared and potential Democrat jumps in, it still wouldn’t be the most crowded congressional primary in Utah history.
When former congressman Jason Chaffetz abruptly announced his resignation in 2017, a whopping 15 Republican candidates jumped into the special election contest to replace him. Four dropped out of the race before the GOP convention, where Chris Herrod advanced to the primary election. He faced off against John Curtis and Tanner Ainge, who collected signatures. Curtis won the primary with a plurality, then cruised in the general election, defeating Democratic nominee Kathie Allen and United Utah Party candidate Jim Bennett.
