Implications of Utah and Rhode Island special elections for GOP in Congress.
Utah and Rhode Island Voters Prepare for Special Election Primaries
On Tuesday, voters in Utah and Rhode Island will head to the polls for special election primary voting. These races are expected to be highly competitive and will set the stage for November’s general elections.
Utah’s 2nd Congressional District
In Utah’s 2nd Congressional District, Republicans will choose from a three-way race that will determine the influence of former President Donald Trump in the conservative state. This race is crucial for Republicans as they decide what weight an allegiance to Trump holds.
Multiple candidates are vying to replace Rep. Chris Stewart, who resigned in June due to his wife’s health concerns. Celeste Maloy, a former congressional staffer, won the GOP’s convention nomination and received an endorsement from Stewart himself. Bruce Hough, a committeeman for the Republican National Committee, is running as a “movement conservative” with a focus on fiscal accountability. Former state Rep. Becky Edwards, who previously ran for a national seat, is campaigning as an anti-Trump option.
With nearly half of GOP voters still undecided, this race remains wide open. Edwards currently leads with 32% support, followed by Hough at 11% and Maloy at 9%.
Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District
In Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District, Democrats outnumber Republicans, making it an uphill battle for GOP candidates. The historically blue seat has only voted for a Republican presidential nominee four times, and less than 15% of the population is registered as GOP voters.
Republican candidates Terri Flynn and retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Gerry Leonard are running relatively quiet campaigns. Leonard, endorsed by the Rhode Island Republican Party, is running on the platform that “Bidenomics” is not working. Flynn, a self-described “citizen candidate,” believes the economy is the nation’s biggest problem and advocates for overhauling the tax code.
On the Democratic side, several prominent candidates are vying for the nomination, including Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, former state Rep. Aaron Regunberg, former White House aide Gabe Amo, and state Sen. Sandra Cano. Regunberg currently leads with 28% support, followed by Matos and Cano tied at 11%.
As these primary elections unfold, all eyes will be on the outcomes, as they will shape the political landscape leading up to November’s general elections.
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