Candidates crowded into the race to replace Rep. Jason Chaffetz, with 15 Republicans, four Democrats, two Independent American Party members and one Libertarian initially filing. Some candidates have withdrawn from the race while at least one failed to meet the signature gathering requirement and is out of the running.
Candidates can choose to compete to be nominated at their party's convention, gather voter signatures to get on their party's primary ballot (or the general election ballot if they are unaffiliated) or submit signatures while also competing in a convention.
The Deseret News compiled a list of the candidates who have filed or announced their candidacy to replace Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah so far. Get to know the candidates below.
Debbie Aldrich (will be competing in Republican convention)
Age: 60
Party: Republican
Residence: Murray
Occupation: Flight attendant, podcaster, writer
Political experience: Activist with the Conservative Political Action Conference; director for Salt Lake Christians United for Israel
Reason for running: "I want to see more people in politics, particularly women, because I want to change the dynamics that have been haunting our party."
Tanner Ainge (submitted 9,000 signatures to qualify for the GOP primary ballot)
Age: 33
Party: Republican
Residence: Alpine
Occupation: Lawyer
Political experience: None
Reason for running: "I have a sincere desire to represent all people in my district and to celebrate diversity in our communities. I intend to be a relentless voice in defense of religious freedom."
Kathie Allen (will be competing in Democratic convention)
Age: 64
Party: Democrat
Residence: Cottonwood Heights
Occupation: Doctor
Political experience: Campaign worker; congressional aide for late-Rep. Shirley Pettis, D-Calif.
Reason for running: "The issues that I want to work on specifically are health care, public education, preservation of public lands, treatment of our immigrant population, and I think we can find commonalities on these things."
Jim Bennett (Did not submit signatures as an unaffiliated candidate. State elections office rejected his candidate application in May because the United Utah Party was not certified as a qualified political party, but Bennett said he is mounting a legal challenge to get on the ballot under his party's banner)
Age: 48
Party: United Utah Party
Residence: Sandy
Occupation: Deseret News columnist, freelance writer for marketing and advertising, parole worker
Political experience: Campaign manager for late-Sen. Bob Bennett; communications director for Fred Lampropoulos' 2004 gubernatorial campaign; webmaster for Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; campaign manager for Utah Transit Authority's 2006 transit initiative
Reason for running: "I am going to be a reform-oriented candidate. I am going to press for changes that the two parties have resisted for far too long, like congressional accountability and term limits."
Joe Buchman (will be competing in Libertarian convention)
Age: 59
Party: Libertarian
Residence: Alpine
Occupation: Tenured professor of marketing at then-Utah Valley State College; author of undergraduate and graduate level textbooks on communications; worked for University of Chicago
Political experience: Chairman for the Utah Libertarian Party; ran for Congress in 2008; ran for Utah Senate in 2016
Reason for running: "I want my great-grandchildren to say, 'Hey, I am glad my great-grandpa fought for that so that we could live in a world where we don't use violence and where people have their self-agency over their own physical body.'"
Jason Christensen (will be competing in Independent American Party convention)
Age: 37
Party: Independent American Party
Residence: Provo
Occupation: Self-employed, works with consumer electronics and audio systems
Political experience: 2014 Utah House candidate; 2016 Utah Senate candidate; activist in the Independent American Party
Reason for running: "People need an option."
John Curtis (Submitted 15,525 signatures, more than twice the 7,000 needed to get on the GOP primary ballot, and will be competing in Republican convention)
Age: 57
Party: Republican
Residence: Provo
Occupation: Former chief operating officer of Action Target custom shooting ranges
Political experience: Two-term Provo mayor; ran for Utah Legislature
Reason for running: "Being the mayor for eight years of Utah's third-largest city has let me deal with tough issues like budget cuts, balanced budgets and delivering value to our residents."
Brad Daw (will be competing in Republican convention)
Age: 54
Party: Republican
Residence: Orem
Occupation: Computer engineer
Political experience: Five terms in Utah House
Reason for running: "I believe it’s necessary that we elect a representative who will hold firmly to the principles of limited government, the sanctity of the family, and the protection of our God-given rights as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution."
Margaret Dayton (will be competing in Republican convention)
Age: 68
Party: Republican
Residence: Orem
Occupation: Retired nurse
Political experience: Utah House, Utah Senate since 1996
Reason for running: "While there may be other qualified candidates who seek this office, all good intentions can slip away without the strength to say no — no to the establishment; no to political trades; no to federal mandates; no to higher taxes; no to deficits and debt; no to looking the other way; no to greedy government eyes.”
Paul Fife (will be competing in Republican convention)
Age: 29
Party: Republican
Residence: Provo
Occupation: Defense contractor
Political experience: Contracts with Department of Defense
Reason for running: "There are a lot of policies the U.S. government has implemented with the intent to help those in need and with the intent to assist those who are often overlooked, but the policies themselves aren't accomplishing those purposes."
Ben Frank (failed to submit signatures for verification despite declaring intent to do so; will be competing in Democratic convention)
Age: 29
Party: Democrat
Residence: Cottonwood Heights
Occupation: Mental health worker
Political experience: Animal rights and anti-war activist; Bernie Sanders campaign volunteer
Reason for running: "I am running for Congress to ensure that bold progressive policies will be represented. The workers, veterans, farmers, LGBTQIA and disabled communities need a voice."
Deidre Henderson (will be competing in Republican convention)
Age: 42
Party: Republican
Residence: Spanish Fork
Occupation: Business owner, political consultant
Political experience: Utah Senate since 2012; former Chaffetz campaign staffer
Reason for running: "I'm running because our country has a lot of problems. I truly believe that most of those problems will be best solved, best addressed at the state level rather than at the federal level."
Aaron Heineman (will be competing in Independent American Party convention)
Age: 38
Party: Independent American Party
Occupation: None provided
Education: None provided
Reason for running: None provided
Chris Herrod (will be competing in Republican convention)
Age: 51
Party: Republican
Residence: Provo
Occupation: Loan officer, real estate
Political experience: Served two terms in Utah House; Utah GOP Central Committee; ran for U.S. Senate; ran for Utah Senate
Reason for running: "I wouldn't enter if I didn’t think I had something to add, and that is my international experience. I understand Russia better than most people do."
Carl Ingwell (failed to submit signatures for verification despite declaring intent to do so; will be competing in Democratic convention)
Age: 36
Party: Democrat
Residence: Monticello
Occupation: Biologist on a wind farm
Political experience: Founded CleanAirNow!; University of Utah Student Clean Air Network; organized clean air rallies
Reason for running: "I believe that my lived experience in both urban and rural portions of the district gives me a better understanding of issues that affect the entire district and issues that are unique to both these urban/rural areas."
Damian Kidd (will be competing in Republican convention)
Age: 41
Party: Republican
Residence: American Fork
Occupation: lawyer
Political experience: Intern for then-Rep. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho
Reason for running: "I think our Congress over the last 10 to 15 years has failed us. We need a new generation of statesman to right the ship. It’s time to clean house."
Keith Kuder (will be competing in Republican convention)
Age: 33
Party: Republican
Residence: Vineyard
Occupation: Emergency roadside assistance representative
Political experience: Worked for Chaffetz's 2008 campaign; worked for Sen. Mike Lee's 2010 campaign
Reason for running: "We elect representatives to do their job, and yet they do not answer their phone calls, they do not answer their emails, and some of them aren't event doing town halls. And that's why I am running."
Mike Leavitt (told GOP he has left the race but has not officially filed the required paperwork with the state)
Age: 64
Party: Republican
Residence: Orem
Occupation: Laborer in forestry
Political experience: None
Reason for running: "I am running for the POWs in Vietnam and Cambodia."
Stewart Peay (will be competing in Republican convention)
Age: 43
Party: Republican
Residence: Alpine
Occupation: Lawyer
Political experience: National Guard intelligence officer
Reason for running: "In the U.S. Congress, it is a constant battle to get what the people of the 3rd Congressional District want. I have the skillset and the experience to work in that environment, to work with people who don’t agree with what I think and don’t want to give me what I want, and I think that experience is invaluable at this time.”
Shayne Row (failed to submit signatures for verification despite declaring intent to do so; will be competing in Republican convention)
Age: 48
Party: Republican
Residence: Murray
Occupation: Worked as an IRS tax assessment agent; part-time Uber driver
Political Experience: None
Reason for running: "I am running as a Republican mainly for the blind and the deaf community, mainly to help support their needs, for education accessibility, job accessibility, anybody."
Candidates no longer in the race:
Brigham Cottam (failed to file required signatures and no longer in the race)
Age: 41
Party: Republican
Residence: Salt Lake City
Occupation: Executive producer for National Geographic and Discovery Channel television shows
Political experience: None
Reason for running: "I’m running because there is a far right and a far left, and the middle of the country does not get a voice."
Jeremy Friedbaum (Withdrew candidacy June 7)
Age: 61
Party: Republican
Residence: Provo
Occupation: Repairs and tunes pianos
Political experience: Ran for U.S. Senate in 2012
Reason for running: "I am running to fulfill Jason Chaffetz's term. I will not be running for re-election."
Faeiza Javed (Withdrew candidacy May 31)
Age: 25
Party: Democrat
Residence: Murray
Occupation: Mental Health Therapist
Political experience: Vice chairwoman of the Salt Lake County Democratic Party
Reason for running: "Even though we are a nation where diversity is everywhere, that is not reflected in our elected officials."