Former Rep. Ben McAdams has qualified for the primary in Utah’s newly redrawn 1st Congressional District, making him the first Democratic candidate to do so in the race to flip one of Utah’s red seats in the House of Representatives.
McAdams announced on Thursday that he had gathered the minimum number of signatures needed to qualify, officially securing his spot on the June primary ballot. More than 7,000 people signed on to support his campaign, McAdams said, after weeks of volunteer signature-gathering.
“I’m focused on bringing down costs and making life more affordable for Utah families,” McAdams said in a statement. “I look forward to taking our campaign directly to the delegates and voters to share my ideas, what I stand for, and my record of getting things done as I ask for their support and their vote.”
McAdams’ qualification comes after the former House Democrat reported nearly $1 million in his first-quarter fundraising haul, giving him a hefty war chest of $764,711 cash on hand. The haul is more than three times as much money as all the other candidates raised in the last quarter of 2025 combined, which spanned from Oct. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2025.
His name on the ballot also allows the race for Utah’s 1st District to begin to take shape as questions remain on which Democratic candidates will qualify; which incumbent, if any, they will challenge; and if any other Republican challengers jump into the race.
Lawsuits keep Utah’s congressional district map uncertain
Utah voters are still waiting on a final decision from lawsuits running through the state Supreme Court and federal court on what congressional boundaries will be in place for the 2026 midterm elections. The latest map implemented by 3rd District Judge Diana Gibson would create a deep blue district in Salt Lake County in addition to three deep-red districts.
The Utah Republican Party later appealed Gibson’s decision and is awaiting a final decision before candidate filings are due in March.
Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, who represents the current 1st District, is listed as an opposing candidate for the Democratic challengers, although it’s possible he will run in what is now the 2nd District, as it covers much of the same ground that is in his current district. Moore, a member of House GOP leadership, raised $1.5 million in the fourth quarter of last year and has more than $2.2 million cash on hand.
At least one Republican primary challenger has entered the mix for the 1st District after Dave Robinson announced his bid last week. Robinson will similarly seek to get his name on the ballot through signature-gathering or through the party’s convention process.