The deadline for candidates to qualify to run in the special election to replace 2nd Congressional District Rep. Chris Stewart has now passed.
Following Stewart’s announcement that he would resign on Sept. 15, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox designated July 5 at 5:00 p.m. as the cut-off for political parties to submit the names of candidates chosen at party conventions and candidates to collect signatures to submit their lists.
Three Republican candidates have emerged, Celeste Maloy, Becky Edwards and Bruce Hough, with the latter two still awaiting signature verifications to secure their place on the ballot.
While Maloy is believed to have an edge for the GOP special primary as the winner of the state’s GOP delegate convention, recent years have seen several examples of delegate candidates losing to sweepstakes of signatures such as former Utah Governor Gary Herbert, 3rd Congress. District Rep. John Curtis and U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, a pattern Edwards and Hough hope to replicate.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy cannot try to influence the primaries
Because of a deal Speaker Kevin McCarthy made with members of the House Freedom Caucus during his run for president in January, he and his PAC aligned with the Congressional Leadership Fund cannot directly participate in the primary election, but he’s likely watching the race. up close
Stewart is a close ally of McCarthy’s in the House, and given the narrow Republican majority, McCarthy expects his replacement to be in a similar situation.
As former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz told the Deseret News last month, “Leadership is going to be honed a lot in this race. They want someone they can work with, and when the votes are close, go get their vote. With such a slim majority, this is even more critical to how the votes will go.”
But none of the candidates remaining in the race seem likely to raise concerns among House leaders that Utah will send them someone they can’t work with.
Other parties choose candidates
Various other Utah political parties he also selected a candidate during his party conventions. The Utah Democratic Party fielded state senator Kathleen Riebe. The United Party of Utah selected former congressional candidate January Walker. The Utah Libertarian Party advanced Bradley Garth Green, the son of Cedar City Mayor Garth O. Green. And the Utah Constitution Party named Iron County party chair Cassie Easley.
However, since the 2nd Congressional District is considered safe Republican territory — Stewart was re-elected by a 25-point margin in 2022 — the race to choose Utah’s next member of Congress will likely be decided in the Republican primary.
Edwards and Hough hope to have gathered enough signatures
This isn’t the first time Edwards has collected signatures in hopes of upsetting the convention favorite. She challenged Sen. Mike Lee when he ran for re-election last year, rallying 40,000 signatures to run in the primaries where he lost after getting less than 30% of the vote.
Edwards has positioned herself as a moderate politician and experienced problem-solver, whose five terms in the Utah Legislature, where she focused on issues of air quality and housing affordability, show their commitment to bipartisanship and addressing issues that really matter to voters.
“In my own experience, I’ve seen how knowing and loving those with whom we disagree is where some of my greatest and most compassionate work has occurred,” Edwards said during his speech at the convention. “We need a leader willing to have tough conversations, someone who can turn discussions into decisive action. I am that leader.”
In a statement to the Deseret News, Edwards said his “unwavering commitment to integrity and effective representation sets me apart as the ideal candidate to advance the ‘Utah Way’ and shape a stronger future for our nation “.
As of Wednesday morning, Edwards had submitted more than 11,000 signatures, with at least one more batch expected before the 5 o’clock bell, according to a campaign staffer. That number far exceeds the 7,000 signature threshold required by state law to make the primary ballot, reflecting a desire to avoid falling short due to discarded signatures.
Edwards was able to tap into a volunteer support system he had developed during his Senate campaign, relying on more than 300 volunteers to collect most of his signatures, according to his campaign.
After submitting his first signatures last Thursday, Edwards will receive the first evidence of any signatures that echo the Hough campaign. All signatures must be from registered Republican voters in the 2nd Congressional District, which includes all of southwestern Utah and parts of Salt Lake and Davis counties.
The lieutenant governor’s office will release an ongoing count certificate signatures every weekday morning at 9 a.m. Edwards currently has 2,069 certified signatures.
The Hough campaign submitted what they estimated were 10,500 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon. Signatures were collected using a paid signature collection service.
So far, Hough’s campaign has focused on his years of GOP leadership and traditional conservative values. In Hough’s convention speech, the former Republican National Committeeman and two-time state GOP chairman listed principles he would stick to “no matter what,” including preserving the family as the “basic structure and building block of society”, defending the Constitution and freeing the country from debt.
“I am the only qualified conservative candidate on the ballot,” Hough later said in a statement to the Deseret News.
Maloy, the surprise winner of the convention, has insisted on her qualifications for office despite her lack of experience in elected office. “I don’t have a voting record, but I do have a record, a record of serving you,” she told delegates, referring to her work as Stewart’s chief legal counsel for the past four years.
Maloy’s message at the convention and during the two GOP debates was a desire to listen to her constituents and use her experience working with Stewart on issues in the 2nd District and as a Washington County attorney who deals with public lands and water rights.
In the end, delegates found his connection to southern Utah and his endorsements from Stewart, former congressman Rob Bishop and fellow candidate Jordan Hess persuasive. After finishing second in the first round at the convention, with 24.1% of the vote, she won the delegate nomination in the fifth round with 52.1% of the vote to 47.9% for former President of Utah House, Greg Hughes.
Meanwhile, Edwards was eliminated during the third round of voting after never receiving more than 5% of the vote, and Hough was eliminated in the second round with less than 2% of the vote.
But these results could change in the run-up to the primaries.
“It’s just a different set of messages that matter to delegates than to the average GOP primary voter,” said Kelly Patterson, a senior fellow at Brigham Young University’s Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy.
The Maloy voter registration controversy and next steps
One thing Edwards and Hough may try to capitalize on before the primary is the controversy over Maloy’s voter registration.
After the June 24 convention, it was made public that Maloy was not registered as an active voter in the state at the time she filed for office. He was on a list of names to be removed from Utah voter rolls because he had not voted in two consecutive elections after moving to Virginia to work for Stewart.
Although Maloy had previously registered as a Republican and had voted as a Republican in every election before she moved, her status as a “removable” voter led some to speculate whether she should be disqualified from the race.
Lt. Gov. Diedre Henderson tried to resolve the issue, saying in an official statement“It is the opinion of this Office that Celeste Maloy met all statutory requirements and constitutional qualifications, and that she properly filed the charge in accordance with the laws of the State of Utah.”
But in a statement released by Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson on behalf of his colleagues in the Legislature, implied that Henderson should have done more to ensure Maloy met state and party requirements. The statement also said the window to challenge Maloy’s declaration of candidacy has closed and his candidacy will move forward, barring a legal challenge.
Utah GOP Chairman Rob Axson submitted Maloy’s name to the lieutenant governor’s office just before the 5 p.m. deadline Wednesday, along with a statement that said Maloy “met the Party’s requirement to submit his Party nomination on June 16, which was more than 7 days before the scheduled convention/caucus.”
A press release sent out later in the day by the state GOP said, “Our bylaws are clear: Ms. Maloy is the convention nominee. She was chosen by the delegates at our convention.”
He said any disputes between the Legislature and Henderson’s office should be resolved between them or in court.
“Any additional determination of the process or the eligibility of Celeste’s candidacy is not within the party’s competence. At this time, the Party’s role is to rally behind our convention candidate, Celeste Maloy, and support her path to victory,” the statement said.
Looking ahead to the next leg of the race, Maloy told the Deseret News he’s confident he can replicate his success among Utah delegates with a broader primary audience.
“I am honored and humbled to receive the support of Utah’s Republican state delegates. And I look forward to fighting for the trust and support of Utah Republican voters,” he said. “In the coming days, I will listen to the concerns of our voters and share my vision for a stronger and freer Utah. I’m really looking forward to meeting and talking to people from all over the district.”
The party will host a debate between Maloy and whichever candidate receives enough certified signatures, if there is a lawsuit, Axson said.
