A dozen Utah County lawmakers will return to the Utah House next year, proving that the anti-incumbent bandwagon did not venture south of Point of the Mountain.
Every incumbent in a Utah County district was seeking re-election, and all won. Most won by overwhelming and convincing margins.The incumbent sweep, however, means the Republican Party didn't get the sweep it was looking for. The lone Democrat, Rep. Tim Moran, D-Spanish Fork, edged out Republican challenger Allan Hales by only 30 votes in complete but unofficial results in District 66. Unless absentee ballots push the victory margin to more than 30, Hales likely will ask for a recount.
"This race was close because I'm a Democrat," said Moran, while he anxiously monitored election returns Tuesday night at the Utah County Administration Building. "I think a lot of people voted straight party this time."
Moran will return for his sixth term in the House. The 76-year-old said this will be his last political venture.
The only other race that was even somewhat close was in District 59, where Rep. Doyle Mortimer, R-Orem, defeated Democrat Robert Davis by a 2-1 margin.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
District 56
19 of 19 voting districts
Christine R. Fox, (R-inc.) 4,720 80%
Kurt Myers (D) 1,186 20%
District 57
18 of 18 voting districts
Lowell A. Nelson, (R-inc.) 4,803 74%
Steven S. Kesler (D) 1,722 26%
District 58
17 of 17 voting districts
John L. Valentine, (R-inc.) 5,776 92%
Gene Metzger-Agin (I) 488 8%
District 59
15 of 15 voting districts
Doyle Mortimer, (R-inc.) 3,878 71%
Robert A. Davis (D) 1,585 29%
District 60
17 of 17 voting districts
Norman Nielsen, (R-inc.) 5,173 80%
Shawn D. Larsen (D) 1,025 16%
Bryan Wayne Burr (I) 299 5%
District 61
21 of 21 voting districts
R. Lee Ellertson, (R-inc.) 4,296 83%
Ronald D. Hathcock (I) 880 17%
District 62
16 of 16 voting districts
Jeff Alexander, (R-inc.) 3,187 81%
Fae C. Beck (D) 757 19%
District 63
11 of 11 voting districts
Jordan Tanner, (R-inc.) 2,206 100%
District 64
16 of 16 voting districts
Byron L. Harward, (R-inc.) 2,888 81%
Mark Clemens (D) 695 19%
District 65
15 of 15 voting districts
Brent Haymond, (R-inc.) 4,145 68%
Eugene L. Faux (D) 1,932 32%
District 66
16 of 16 voting districts
Tim Moran, (D-inc.) 3,079 49%
Allan Hales (R) 3,049 49%
G. Franklin Bradford (L) 134 2%
District 67
Utah, Juab and Sanpete counties
30 of 30 voting districts
Bill Wright, (R-inc.) 5,001 100%