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SALT LAKE CITY — A Layton native who stresses the need for Hill Air Force Base to have an ambassador in Washington, D.C., is the latest candidate to get in the race to replace Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, who is not seeking another term in the 1st Congressional District.
Bob Stevenson, a Davis County commissioner and former Layton mayor and council member, said Utah is at a pivotal point and needs leaders who make the right decisions regarding transportation, the economy, the role of Hill Air Force Base and housing.
“We are at the crossroads of making sure we make the right decisions,” Stevenson, 65, said.
His political experience forged over the last 40 years has taught him the importance of federal funding when it comes to key issues such as transportation and housing, he added.
Stevenson was first elected to political office in his mid-20s — when he was just a “kid” he adds — and went onto ultimately serve two terms as mayor of Davis County’s largest city, Layton.
He retired from Nestle after more than 30 years there and is serving his first term as a Davis County commissioner.
Stevenson, a member of the GOP, is on the board of directors of the Utah Defense Alliance, which was formed to protect and rally for Hill Air Force Base and other Utah military endeavors.
Hill is the Air Force’s second largest base by population and geography, and is the largest single-site employer in the state of Utah, supporting more than 21,000 workers through more than 50 mission partners. It generates $3 billion for Utah’s economy.
“We’ve got to make sure that we have someone who is very involved with Hill Air Force Base and understands the military, not someone who just says they support the base,” Stevenson said.
Stevenson said he is also a big supporter of Utah’s public lands and says they need to be protected.
Utah is a dynamic place with the urbanized Wasatch Front, but also is home to scenic lands that are readily accessible, he said.
“This is an amazing state,” he said. “You can be fighting traffic on I-15 and then an hour away, be somewhere with so much beauty. We have to protect that.”
In his bid to replace Bishop, Stevenson joins Morgan County Councilwoman Tina Cannon, Kaysville Mayor Katie Witt and veteran Cory Green.
