WASHINGTON — A national centrist group is throwing its support behind former Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams to run for Congress in Utah once the Republican stronghold state finalizes its new congressional maps next month.
The Welcome PAC, a Democratic centrist group founded in 2021, circulated an email to supporters on Friday painting McAdams as the best candidate to flip one of the four solidly Republican seats in 2026, pointing to his previous performance where he pulled off a rare win against incumbent Rep. Mia Love in 2018. The campaign comes as Utah is set to implement new district boundaries for the midterm elections after a judge ruled earlier this year that the current map was illegally gerrymandered.
“The lines are not final in Utah, but the likeliest outcomes all point to a potentially winnable seat in the Salt Lake City area,” the email reads. “And, while Democrats have lost 27 of the last 28 federal elections in Utah, the proven winner is eligible.”
The group analyzed data from Split Ticket that listed McAdams in the top 12 of previous Democratic House candidates — and he was the only one in that dozen to have flipped a seat out of Republican control.
The political action committee also noted that McAdams managed to win in Utah’s then-tossup 4th Congressional District despite former Sen. Mitt Romney winning the same district by 23 points. In 2020, McAdams narrowly lost to Rep. Burgess Owens despite President Donald Trump winning the district by more than 9%.
As a result, the Welcome PAC deemed McAdams a “top-1% candidate.”
“Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. But it’s usually the best clue we’ve got,” the email reads. “Ben McAdams is a superstar. He needs to run again, and is publicly considering it. Make your voice heard by contributing to his campaign account, and follow him on Twitter & Facebook.”
The Utah Legislature approved a new version of its congressional map earlier this month, altering the state’s boundaries for its four federal congressional districts. The map would solidify two of the seats — District 1 and District 4, which encompass northern Utah and southwestern Utah, respectively — as solidly Republican.
But it would make Districts 2 and 3 much more competitive, with some analyses putting them at R+11 and R+6, respectively.
While Democrats argue the new boundaries are still unfairly tilted toward Republicans, national groups are signaling they’re ready to battle to unseat one of the four Republican incumbents.
“Utah Republicans are once again ignoring the will of voters in a desperate attempt to hold onto power,” Lindsay Reilly, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told the Deseret News. “By passing a gerrymandered map that divides communities, Utah Republicans are making clear they work for themselves, not for Utahns.”
“But make no mistake,” she added, “this scheme will blow up in Republicans’ faces. (Map) Option C includes a real pickup opportunity for Democrats. If this Republican gerrymander goes through, Democrats are ready to fight for this seat.”
A handful of other Democrats are also considering a run under the new congressional map being advanced in Utah, setting the stage for what could be a crowded primary in one of the most competitive races the Beehive State has seen in years.
Democrats need to net three seats in the 2026 midterm elections to wrest control of the House. The party also has historical precedence on its side, as trends show that the party of the sitting president typically loses control of the House during midterm elections.