This story will be updated.
Two Republican candidates and one Democrat have filed with the state, as others signal their interest, to run for Utah’s now-open 3rd Congressional District following Rep. John Curtis’ late entrance in the state’s U.S. Senate race.
Curtis has represented the district — which includes the Wasatch Front from Provo to Sandy and nearly all of eastern Utah — since his election in 2017 to fill a vacancy left by the resignation of former Rep. Jason Chaffetz.
Vying for the congressman’s seat are a number of former 3rd District candidates, state lawmakers and political newcomers.
Curtis will not endorse any candidate to replace him, he told the Deseret News.
“I’m pleased at the names I hear that are going to run. I think the district is going to see a very good race with really good people in it,” Curtis said. “And I will be staying neutral because I think it’s incumbent on them to make their case about why it should be them.”
Here’s who has already filed to run for the seat.
Republican candidates
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Rod Bird Jr. is the mayor of Roosevelt. He was formerly a candidate for U.S. Senate but filed with the state to run for the 3rd District instead. Before becoming mayor in 2017, Bird founded Paragon Oilfield Products.
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Stewart Peay is the former chair of the Utah County Republican Party. He is a partner at a Salt Lake City-based law firm specializing in commercial litigation and previously served for 12 years in the Utah Army National Guard.
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Case Lawrence is the founder and former CEO of Sky Zone, a trampoline park franchisor based in Provo. He teaches entrepreneurship at Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Business.
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Chris Herrod is a mortgage loan officer with a long history in the 3rd District. He ran against Curtis in 2017, 2018 and 2022. He served in the state House from 2007 to 2012.
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Mike Kennedy is a state senator representing Utah County. He announced an exploratory committee for a 3rd District bid last month. He ran an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 2018 after six years in the Utah House.
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John Dougall is the Utah state auditor and served for 10 years as a state lawmaker before that. He announced Jan. 2 he will not be seeking reelection.
Democratic candidates
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Glenn Wright is a former member of the Summit County Council. His background includes six years in the U.S. Air Force, three decades as a manager in an insurance company and several positions in the Utah Democratic Party.
Who else might hop in the race?
Other candidates
When do candidates need to file by?
To qualify for Utah primary and general election ballots in 2024, candidates must complete paperwork with the lieutenant governor’s office during the state’s filing period, which is Jan. 2-8.
The nominating conventions for both the Utah Republican Party and the Utah Democratic Party will be April 27. If candidates select the option during the filing process, they may also gather 7,000 signatures from registered voters in the district to qualify for a primary election.
The 2024 primary election in Utah will be held on June 25, followed by the general election on Nov. 5, 2024.
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