A center-left political action committee is already fundraising to “recruit” former Democratic congressman Ben McAdams for a likely run next year, peppering Utahns with texts even though he hasn’t officially announced.
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Welcome PAC, which backs center-left Democratic candidates, is blasting fundraising texts that link to a donation page for McAdams.
In a letter first reported by Politico, the group argues that court‑ordered redistricting in Utah could open a path for McAdams to reclaim a seat he narrowly lost to Republican Burgess Owens by fewer than 4,000 votes in 2020.
The texts are headlined “Recruit Ben McAdams” and say: “Republicans thought their new congressional maps in Utah would lock in their power, but it might have backfired. Ben McAdams could flip this seat blue again.”
The link directs to a fundraising page with the same message. As of Monday afternoon, it has received more than 500 donations.
Welcome PAC did not respond to a request for comment.
McAdams is widely expected to launch his campaign later this week, after a judge rules on a redrawn congressional map in Utah’s redistricting case. He could not be reached for comment.
An analysis by Utah Political Watch of the legislature’s proposed map finds two districts that could be competitive for a Democrat. On that map, Donald Trump carries all four districts based on the 2020 and 2024 results, but his margin of victory is under 7 points in two of them.
- District 2, which covers the western portion of Salt Lake County and all of Tooele County, goes for Trump by about 6.4% in 2024 and 5% in 2020.
- District 3, which includes the eastern part of Salt Lake County and stretches across the state’s southwest, votes for Trump by 2.28% in 2024 and 0.52% in 2020.
McAdams is most likely to run in the proposed 3rd District, where he lives. The Republican field remains unsettled, as the legislature’s proposal jams three of Utah’s four incumbent House Republicans into the same proposed district as McAdams.
Last month, McAdams filed an updated statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, a crucial step that allows him to solicit campaign donations.
Already, more than a half dozen Democrats and one independent have filed FEC paperwork to run for Congress in Utah next year.
