Derek Brown — a former state lawmaker, Republican Party chair and Senate staffer — officially launched a campaign for Utah attorney general Tuesday morning.
Brown, who is an attorney at a Salt Lake City-based lobbying firm, is the first to enter the race for the now-open seat following Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes’ announcement that he will not seek reelection amid an internal audit authorized by Utah lawmakers to scrutinize his relationship with embattled anti-trafficking activist Tim Ballard.
In the first stages of his campaign, Brown has framed himself as a principled departure from his predecessors.
“I believe Utah needs a constitutional conservative — someone who will always put Utahns first, promote law and order in our communities, and continue to push back against the federal government when it oversteps its bounds,” Brown said in a press release issued Tuesday morning.
Last month, Brown announced the creation of an exploratory committee for a 2024 bid chaired by former Gov. Gary Herbert, who will now chair Brown’s official campaign for attorney general.
After working at several high-profile law firms and as chief legal counsel to former Sens. Bob Bennett and Orrin Hatch, Brown was elected to represent Sandy in the Utah House, where he served until being appointed as Sen. Mike Lee’s deputy chief of staff in 2013. Brown later chaired the Utah GOP from 2019 to 2021.
Brown received his undergraduate degree in English from Brigham Young University and received a law degree from the Pepperdine School of Law before clerking for the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.
A well-known player in Utah political circles, Brown aims to preserve the state’s character as culture war battles take place across the nation.
“Our country is in a difficult place,” Brown said. “Some believe that we are more divided than ever. But Utah is different. Utah is a place where people come together and communities prosper. But there is no guarantee that things will stay that way. That is why I’m running to be Utah’s next attorney general.”