Elevate Utah PAC announced Tuesday that it is launching a strategic recruitment initiative to target 10 competitive districts in the 2026 elections, aiming to recruit powerhouse candidates to shift the state's legislative balance. The campaign, conducted in partnership with Vote Save America, seeks to identify candidates with strong local narratives to challenge Republican incumbents before the November 3 general election.
Targeted Recruitment Strategy
The PAC's 2026 recruitment strategy focuses on what organizers call "running smart" by identifying specific districts where the political landscape and voter margins align for potential flips. Rather than running candidates in every district, the organization is concentrating resources on 10 key areas to ensure candidates receive necessary training, support, and infrastructure.
According to the organization, the push for new candidates is a response to the political status quo. The PAC stated that politics does not change unless the people within the system change, and the group intends to take back political power by finding candidates with real stories and real stakes.
Focus on House District 10
One primary target for the PAC is House District 10, which encompasses Southern Ogden, Ogden East Bench, South Ogden, Riverdale, and Washington Terrace. The group confirmed it has already secured a candidate for this district.
District 10 was a focal point of the 2024 election cycle, where the seat flipped from Democratic to Republican control. The district was won by the Republican incumbent, Jill Koford, by a margin of 309 votes. This follows a 2022 election where incumbent Rosemary Lesser won against Koford by 500 votes. The PAC noted that Lesser had outperformed Kamala Harris by 1.1 percentage points across the district during that cycle, particularly in 13 swing precincts where she saw a 3.4 point advantage.
Contesting House District 26
The PAC is also actively working to recruit a candidate for House District 26, covering West Valley City and Magna. Unlike District 10, the recruitment status for District 26 is currently listed as "in progress."
The district is held by Republican Matt MacPherson, who was appointed to the position in late 2023 following the resignation of Quinn Kotter. MacPherson won the 2024 election by 991 votes, following a 2022 election where the Republican candidate won by 127 votes, flipping the seat from Democratic to Republican control.
Records from the PAC highlight MacPherson's legislative record, noting he voted with GOP leadership 96.1% of the time in 2025. The group specifically cited his cosponsorship of HB81, which banned fluoride in public water supplies, and his votes on several controversial measures, including legislation regarding pride flags and automatic deportation for certain Class A misdemeanors.
Election Cycle Timeline
The group's recruitment efforts come as the state prepares for a heavy election cycle. While filing for candidates opened on January 2, 2026, and the primary election was held on June 24, 2026, the organization is maintaining momentum leading into the general election on November 3, 2026.
Successful candidates from the upcoming election will be sworn into new terms beginning in January 2027. The PAC's focus remains on the House and specific Senate districts that are slated for decision during the November vote.
Public Financial Disclosures
Financial transparency remains a critical component of the political landscape in Utah. The Lieutenant Governor's Office maintains a public database for all filed financial disclosure reports and statements of organization. This includes filings for candidates, political action committees, and independent expenditures.
According to the Lieutenant Governor's Office, the search for municipal candidates is managed through a specific portal to ensure public access to disclosures for county and city officials. Additionally, while corporations are not required to report expenditures made to entities already required to report to the state, the office continues to provide centralized access to lobbyist reports and federal candidate information via the Federal Election Commission.
Candidate Filing Records
The Lieutenant Governor's Office also manages records for various political entities. Recent filings include reports for individual candidates and organizations, such as Jake Hunsaker, who filed a report for House-48. These disclosures are part of a broader system designed to provide transparency for voters regarding the financial interests and organizational affiliations of those seeking office.
Looking Ahead to 2027
As the state moves toward the final stretch of the 2026 election cycle, the focus remains on the competitive districts that will determine the legislative makeup for 2027. The efforts of groups like Elevate Utah PAC represent a concentrated attempt to challenge the current legislative majority through targeted, high-resource campaigns in swing districts.
