Four Democratic candidates are vying for the nomination in Utah's 1st Congressional District during the June 23, 2026, primary election, a contest shaped by recent court-ordered redistricting that transformed the district into a Democratic-leaning seat.
Impact of redistricting on district
The primary election follows a November 2025 ruling by Judge Dianna Gibson, who ordered the adoption of a new U.S. House map after finding the previous process unconstitutional, according to Ballotpedia. Under this new configuration, which covers much of Salt Lake County, analysts noted that former Vice President Kamala Harris would have won the district by 24 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
List of Democratic candidates
The Democratic field includes Nate Blouin, a current Utah State Senator; Ben McAdams, a former U.S. Representative and Salt Lake County Mayor; Liban Mohamed, an advocate and policy analyst; and Michael Farrell, a tax attorney.
Candidate qualification and ballot process
To qualify for the primary ballot, candidates were required to either advance through the Democratic Party of Utah's nominating convention held in April 2026 or submit 7,000 petition signatures. Mohamed advanced via the convention vote, while Blouin, McAdams, and Farrell successfully submitted enough signatures to appear on the ballot.
Internal party dynamics and divisions
The race highlights internal party dynamics. As The Salt Lake Tribune reported, the contest reveals divisions between older, moderate pragmatists and a rising generation of progressive idealists. Weber State University professor Leah Murray told KUER that candidates face the challenge of demonstrating policy differences despite having similar platforms.
Upcoming general election details
The general election for Utah's 1st Congressional District is scheduled for November 3, 2026. Republican Riley Owen and Libertarian Jesse West are currently running in the general election contest.
