The 2026 midterm election season is here after several chaotic months during which Utah’s congressional district map was thrown out and replaced with a new map chosen by a district court judge.
The new electoral boundaries have upended the primary election landscape for Republican incumbents and given Democrats a rare chance to define themselves on the national stage.
This week, candidates for Utah’s four U.S. House seats officially filed with the state election office. Voters can expect plenty of new names and competitive primary races.
Before the Republican and Democratic parties hold their primary elections on June 23, candidates will participate in nominating conventions on April 25 where delegates will pick a nominee.
U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens announced his retirement in March once it became clear that Utah’s new map would reduce the number of Republican-leaning districts from four down to three.
Rep. Blake Moore will now run in the 2nd District, covering northern Utah; Rep. Celeste Maloy will run in the 3rd, covering eastern and southern Utah; and Rep. Mike Kennedy will run in the 4th, covering parts of central and western Utah.
Meanwhile, the new 1st Congressional District, located in the urban core of Salt Lake County, has welcomed a crowded collection of Democratic candidates vying for support in the most competitive Democratic primary in recent history, as well as several Republicans hoping to keep the seat red.
Here are the candidates running in each of Utah’s newly redrawn congressional districts:
1st Congressional District
Democrats
Nate Blouin — State senator from Salt Lake City
Michael Farrell — Tax attorney from Salt Lake City
Eva Lopez Chavez — Salt Lake City councilwoman
Ben McAdams — Attorney and former U.S representative
Liban Mohamed — Worked for Meta and TikTok
Kathleen Riebe — State senator for Cottonwood Heights and teacher
Luis Villarreal — Software engineer and political activist
Republicans
Adam Clayton — Candidate from Salt Lake City
Stone Fonua — Candidate in several elections for different political parties
Jonathan Lopez — Former Democratic candidate
Riley Owen — CEO of Doers Network, intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve
Dave Robinson — Former candidate for Salt Lake County mayor, homebuilder, landowner representative
Libertarian
Jesse West — Attorney and party volunteer
Forward
January Walker — Previously ran for Congress, cybersecurity executive
2nd Congressional District
Republicans
Colton Hatch — National Guard service member, works for the state pension system
Karianne Lisonbee — State representative, political consultant
Blake Moore — Current Utah congressman, vice chairman of the House Republican Conference
Democrats
Peter Crosby — Works in higher education
Tyler Farnsworth — Mental health nurse practitioner
Jarom Gillins — Army veteran and infrastructure maintenance
Ian Parrish — Works in the auto finance industry
Libertarian
Daniel Cottam — Bariatric surgeon
Independent American
Carlton Bowen — Former American Fork city councilman, candidate in multiple elections
Neil Hansen — Resident of Bountiful
3rd Congressional District
Democrats
Steven Merrill — Former candidate for state House, programmer
Kent Udell — Former professor of engineering, worked in energy industry
Republicans
David Harris — Retired two-star general
Phil Lyman — Former state representative, San Juan County commissioner and gubernatorial candidate
Celeste Maloy — Current Utah congresswoman, chair of the Congressional Western Caucus
Tyler Murset — Built VotingAct, an online platform for voter engagement
Constitution Party
Cassie Easley — Community volunteer and student at Southern Utah University
Libertarian
Michael Stoddard — Orem resident, former candidate
4th Congressional District
Republicans
Scott Hatfield — Author and worked for Utah Department of Corrections
Isaiah Hardman — Former student
Tyrone Jensen — Small business owner
Mike Kennedy — Current Utah congressman, attorney and physician
Pasitale Lupeamanu — Retired U.S. Marine and Army veteran, president of nonprofit
Seth Stewart — Volunteer precinct and poll worker, former candidate
Democrats
Jonny Larsen — Marine veteran, University of Utah student
Archie Williams — Heavy equipment operator
Libertarian
Taylor Wright — Hosts “The Saving Humanity Podcast”
Unaffiliated
Steven Burt — Attorney