SALT LAKE CITY — Kaysville Mayor Katie Witt will be on the Republican primary ballot for Utah’s 1st Congressional District, becoming the first woman in the history of the district to qualify for the contest.
“I appreciate the broad-based support our campaign received from across the district. The signature of each voter represents someone who is committed to expanding opportunity, reigniting patriotism or preserving freedom. I am excited to be their voice on the ballot and in Congress,” Witt said.
Last month, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert issued an executive order that allows candidates to gather the signatures electronically to avoid person-to-person contact.
The threshold to get on the primary ballot is 7,000 signatures. Witt joins Davis County Commissioner Bob Stevenson in securing a spot.
Witt, who was elected Kaysville mayor in 2017 and is on the Women’s State Legislative Council, said she will be a conservative voice for the district, which Republican Rep. Rob Bishop now holds.
Bishop, who previously announced he would not seek reelection to Congress, is former Utah GOP Chairman Thomas Wright’s pick for lieutenant governor in the crowded gubernatorial race.
“In Congress, I will stand up to the socialist voices of AOC (Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York) and her “squad” and make sure that Utahns have a leader who will always put them first,” Witt said.
“We need more people like Katie in Congress, and we especially need strong, conservative female voices who are pro-life, pro-gun and pro-Trump,” said former congressman and current American Conservative Union board member Bob Beauprez.
Witt lives in Kaysville with her husband, Dan. They are parents to three adult children.
The race for the 1st District is crowded, featuring 12 GOP contestants and two Democrats. Other contenders include Mark Shepherd, Tina Cannon, Kerry Gibson, Howard Wallack, Blake David Moore, Chadwick H. Fairbanks III, Catherine Brenchley Hammon, Zach Hartman, Darren Perry, Doug Durbano, JC DeYoung and Jamie Creek, according to the state elections office.