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SALT LAKE CITY — Only one Republican candidate can win the delegate vote in the party's special convention Saturday, but that doesn't mean the race to be the party's nominee to replace Rep. Chris Stewart is over.
Eight of the 13 Republicans in the race have opted to forgo gathering signatures and compete at convention only, meaning the GOP field will shrink to less than half once the delegates vote.
Utah law allows delegates from each party to select one candidate to advance and face any candidates who collect the required number of signatures in a party primary. If no other candidates collect the necessary signatures, the convention winner advances directly to the general election.
Twenty-two candidates in total have filed to run for Stewart's seat in Utah's 2nd Congressional District. Stewart announced his resignation last month, citing his wife's ongoing health issues. He will step down effective Sept. 15.
The following Republican candidates opted to compete at the convention only, meaning they will be out of the party race if they don't win Saturday: Leeds Mayor Bill Hoster; Celeste Maloy, former chief legal counsel for Stewart; former Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes; Duke University professor Henry C. Eyring; former Utah GOP Vice Chairman Jordan Hess; former congressional candidate Kathleen Anderson; and political commentary content creator Ty Jensen and entrepreneur Quin Denning.
Former state legislator Becky Edwards, veteran Scott Hatfield, former congressional staffer Scott Reber, Republican national committeeman Bruce Hough, and Remy Bubba Kush plan to compete at convention but are also gathering signatures to qualify for the primary.
Get to know the candidates
In advance of Saturday's convention, which will be held at Delta High School, KSL.com sent the same set of questions to each Republican candidate to help voters understand why they're running and what their policy priorities are. Not all candidates responded, so answers for some candidates come from opening statements made during one of two party debates earlier this week, or from official campaign websites and social accounts.
Here is a full list of candidates from all parties, along with more special election information.
The following responses have been edited for concision and clarity:
- Scott Hatfield, veteran: "I want to reform the immigration system while simultaneously protecting and securing our borders and ensuring that our citizens are protected from drugs, cartels and human trafficking. I also want to protect those future immigrants who are patiently waiting for their right to call themselves United States citizens."
- Celeste Maloy, former legal counsel to Stewart: "Congress has ceded too much power to the executive branch, and we need to take it back. ... I want to use congressional authority to push back against bureaucracy and end agency mission creep. I don't have a voting record, but I do have a track record of listening, understanding and solving problems for Utahns."
- Quin Denning, entrepreneur: "I am committed to following the Constitution which I love and study on a regular basis. I am dissatisfied with the status quo of Congress. I want to inspire our nation to move in the direction of God-inspired liberties found in the Constitution."
- Becky Edwards, former state representative: "My top priority will always be improving the lives of Utah families. I will fight against federal overreach to ensure greater local control, empowering Utahns to make decisions that best suit the unique needs of our state and foster prosperity. I am deeply committed to public service and guided by Utah values."
- Jordan Hess, former Utah GOP vice chairman: "We must put our country on a better fiscal trajectory. ... We need a 10-year plan to balance the budget and we need spending caps in place to prohibit the year-over-year growth of government spending. ... I have always been a champion for the next generation of conservatives."
- Henry C. Eyring, accounting professor: "The most important thing to know about me is that I'm a father. I'm here to tell you that America is making it hard for families. And you are experiencing this or your children are experiencing this or your grandchildren are experiencing this, and we need people with that experience in Washington, D.C."
- Kathleen Anderson, former congressional candidate: "I have never held elected office but I have raised four children. ... I've always said if you want something done, ask a mom. ... I'm running because I love my family and because I will fight for you like family as well."
- Scott Reber, staffer for former Utah Rep. Mia Love: "Every one of us loves our country, and we are all very similar. One key difference between us though, is our experience, and what we need is somebody who can hit the ground running. I am that candidate because of my experience in D.C."
- Ty Jensen, conservative content creator: "With a Congressman Jensen, I will join the Freedom Caucus, we will push and implement articles of impeachment on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for treason, government bribery and corruption."
- Greg Hughes, former Utah House speaker: "I'm running because I'm fundamentally and genuinely afraid for the future of this country. ... I see a separate and equal power that the legislative branch is supposed to have ... and from my vantage point, I'm not seeing. You elect me, that's what I'm going to do ... make sure the legislative branch is doing its job."
- Bruce Hough, Republican national committeeman: "I'm in this race because I have 10 kids and 22 grandkids and there's a $32 trillion debt in this country. It's unsustainable. ... I have the ability and the experience to go back to Washington and create coalitions to get things done."
- Bill Hoster, Leeds mayor: "I'm really sick of RINOs (Republicans in Name Only), career politicians who are really causing a problem for our country. ... I think it's really important for us to have someone that has a backbone, that's going to stand up and do the right thing, represent the right principles and not cave in to the special interests."
Remy Bubba Kush has also filed as a Republican in the race, but does not have a candidate profile on the party's website and could not be reached for comment.
