SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Reps. Rob Bishop, John Curtis, Mia Love and Chris Stewart this week officially filed for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Federal and state candidates in Utah have until 5 p.m. Thursday to file for the November election.

Curtis won the special election in 2017 to replace Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, after Chaffetz stepped down in June. He faces Republican challengers Henry Kneitz III, of Draper, and Michael David Leavitt, of Orem, a distant relative of former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt.

In January, Curtis filed his intent to gather signatures to put his name on the Republican primary ballot. He also announced his intent to seek the nomination through the caucus and convention system.

“My campaign team and I are actively pursuing both paths in 2018,” he said. “I feel that we are in a good position with both paths and look forward to continue traveling the district to talk with voters one on one about the issues that matter to them most.”

Love is seeking her third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. She faces five Democratic challengers — Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, Salt Lake City residents Darlene McDonald and Morgan Shepherd, Sheldon Kirkham, of Taylorsville, and Tom Taylor, of Millcreek.

Love has said she will seek both the convention path and the signature-gathering path to secure her candidacy. At her signing of her declaration of candidacy, Love warned that a Nancy Pelosi-led House would undo Republican achievements in areas such as tax reform, so every seat counts this November.

"Our most crucial legislation often comes down to just a few votes," Love said.

Stewart is seeking a fourth term in the U.S. House. He faces a pair of Democratic challengers, Randy Hopkins, an executive with the Utah Department of Workforce Services who lives in Farmington, and Shireen Ghorbani, a schoolteacher from Salt Lake City; as well as a United Utah Party candidate who filed Tuesday, Jan Garbett from Salt Lake City, who owns Garbett Homes with her husband; and Libertarian candidate Jeffery Whipple, from St. George.

Bishop, the incumbant in the 1st Congressional District since 2002, faces at least four challengers his seat. Among those who filed this week were Eric Eliason, a southern Utah native running as a candidate for the new centrist United Utah Party; Republican Kevin Probasco, of Layton; and Democrats Lee Castillo, a social worker from Layton, and Kurt Weiland, of Bountiful. Green Party candidate Jerold Davis also has announced his intention to file for the 1st District.

U.S. Senate

In the U.S. Senate, eight Republicans and three Democrats have filed to replace Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who is retiring at the end of his seventh term. He has been in the Senate since 1977, making him the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. Senate in history. His seat is up for grabs in November.

Those who have filed for Hatch's seat so far include Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson and fellow Democrats Larry Livingstone, of Bountiful, and Mitchell Vice, of Salt Lake City.

Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Alpine, joins seven other Republicans in the race — Alicia Colvan, of Layton; Jeremy Friedbaum, of Provo; Stoney Fonua, of Herriman; Tim Jimenez, of Tooele; Larry Meyers, of St. George; Samuel Parker, of Salt Lake City; and Gayle Painter, of Nephi.

Constitution Party candidate Tim Aalders, of Highland, and Independent American candidate Reed McCandless, of Eagle Mountain, also have filed to run for Hatch's seat.

Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who has already announced his intention to run, is the front-runner in the Senate race, though he had not officially filed for office as of Wednesday evening. Romney has announced his intention to gather signatures to gain access to the ballot.

Utah Legislature

In the Utah Legislature, half the Senate is up for grabs in November.

A handful of senators have decided to retire this year, including Sens. Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake City; Howard Stephenson, R-Draper; Majority Assistant Whip Peter Knudson, R-Brigham City; and Budget Vice Chairman Kevin Van Tassell, R-Vernal.

On Wednesday, Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, announced his retirement in a Facebook posting. Three candidates have filed for his seat as of Wednesday — Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, and fellow Republican David Hart, of Sandy, as well as Democratic candidate Abbey Wright, of Sandy.

As of Wednesday, nine challengers have filed to run for Dabakis' vacant seat in Disctrict 2. There are seven active Democratic candidates — Jennifer Plumb, David Andreason, Shawn Robinson, Tim Chambless, Rickie Mehl and Nadia Mahallati. Robert Pinon also filed but has since withdrawn. They are joined by Republican Chase Winder and unaffiliated candidate Vance Hansen.

Reps. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, and LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, are leaving the Utah House to run for Stephenson's Senate seat. They face Republican DeLaina Tonks, of Draper, and Democrat Christian Burridge, of Draper.

Rep. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, is leaving the House to run for Knudson's seat. Sandall faces Republican Clark Davis, of Brigham City, and Democrat Michael Keil, of Stansbury Park, in the race.

Four challengers have filed for Van Tassell's seat — Republicans Jack Rubin, of Park City, and Ronald Winterton; and Democrats Pat Vaughn, of Midway, and Eileen Gallagher.

The newest member of the Utah Senate, Sen. Brian Zehnder, R-Holladay, filed his candidacy for re-election Monday. Zehnder was appointed by Gov. Gary Herbert to fill the vacancy left in District 8 when Sen. Brian Shiozawa, R-Cottonwood Heights, accepted a position with the Trump administration.

Zehnder faces Democratic candidate Kathie Allen from Cottonwood Heights. The winner of the District 8 race will serve a two-year term.

A United Utah Party candidate, Lee Houghton, has filed to challenge incumbant Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, to represent state Senate District 15. Dayton has filed for re-election. She also faces Republicans Emily Ellsworth, of Lindon, and Rep. Keith Grover, R-Provo, for the seat. Ellsworth is former congressional staffer with a background in constituent services. Grover is leaving behind his seat in Utah House District 61.

A Green Party candidate, Abrian Velarde, has announced plans to challenge incumbant Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City, who has filed for re-election in District 12. One Democrat, Clare Collard, also has filed as a candidate for the seat.

Another United Utah Party candidate, Jeremy Egan, of Salt Lake City, has filed to challenge Senate Minority Leader Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake City, for state Senate District 3. Davis also faces Republican challenger Luke Gustafon, of South Salt Lake.

Every seat is up for grabs in the Utah House of Representatives this November.

House Rules Chairman Mike Noel, R-Kanab, who has served in the House for 16 years, announced that he will not be seeking re-election. Controversial federal public lands critic Phil Lyman has announced he will he seek to replace Noel to represent rural voices in the Legislature.

Other retirements of House members include House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper; and Reps. Rebecca Chavez-Houck, D-Salt Lake City; Becky Edwards, R-North Salt Lake; Justin Fawson, R-North Ogden; Gage Froerer, R-Huntsville; Brian Greene, R-Pleasant Grove; Mike Kennedy, R-Alpine; Jeremy Peterson, R-Ogden, Dixon Pitcher, R-Ogden; Rep. Edward Redd, R-Logan; Curt Webb, R-Logan; and John Westwood, R-Cedar City.

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