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SALT LAKE CITY — Describing himself as a political outsider who puts people first, the former CEO of a billion-dollar physicians staffing company jumped into the governor's race Friday on the Democratic ticket.
Mike Weinholtz launched his campaign at CHG Healthcare Services, the business he co-founded 18 years ago and ran until moving to chairman of the board last year.
"You can trust that I will never make decisions for political purposes because I'm not a politician, and I only care about doing what's best for the people of Utah," he said.
Weinholtz, 61, said a small group of power brokers behind closed doors with little regard for transparency, accountability or people's wishes make decisions in Utah's Republican-controlled political system.
The first-time candidate recognizes he has hard climb to become the first Democrat to win the governor's office since 1980. He joins Vaughn Cook as the only Democrats to enter the race so far.
Republican Gov. Herbert hasn't commented on challengers from any party throwing their hats into the ring, but his campaign issued a statement Friday after Weinholtz's announcement.
"Gov. Herbert has always anticipated the Democrats would field a challenger, and he looks forward to running on his strong record and vision for the upcoming term," campaign manager Marty Carpenter said. "His focus right now is on doing the job the voters have given him and preparing for the upcoming legislative session."
The governor enjoys a high public approval rating but faces a tough GOP challenger in Overstock.com Chairman Jonathan Johnson.
Weinholtz said Herbert showed a lack of leadership in "deciding to punt" the ongoing debate over Medicaid expansion to state lawmakers, calling it a case of putting politics before people.
Along with health care, he said education and clean air are his top priorities
"I'm a little disappointed at times when all of these things are made to be political issues. It doesn't have to be a conservative issue or a liberal issue. Sometimes it's just the right thing to do," Weinholtz said.
A native of Buffalo, New York, Weinholtz said his mother taught him to give back and that he has been active in community service since moving to Utah about 18 years ago with his wife, Donna, and son, Chase.
Weinholtz is president of the ACLU of Utah board of directors and serves on boards with the United Way of Salt Lake, Rowland Hall School and the Salt Lake Chamber.
Donna Weinholtz is vice chairwoman of the LGBT advocacy group Equality Utah. She was part of a group of protestors arrested at the state Capitol during a demonstration against the Legislature's refusal to hold a hearing on a statewide nondiscrimination law in 2014.
Mike Weinholtz followed the tradition of his blue-collar family to work in a Chevrolet auto factory in his hometown. He attended Canisius College at night, earning a degree in management at age 35. He started his first health care staffing business two years later.
