Campaign photo / blakeforhouse36.com
Blake Townsend
About
Blake Townsend is a 2026 Democratic candidate for the Utah House of Representatives in District 36, which includes Taylorsville and West Jordan. A West Jordan resident who grew up in Utah, he holds a political science degree from Utah State University and has worked in tech recruiting and later in the nonprofit labor sector, traveling the state on employment issues. Official Utah candidate filings list him as an election candidate, and local Democratic organizations identified him as the party nominee after a special nomination process.
Where they stand
Affordability
Prioritizes tackling the cost of living for working families, including support for higher wages, affordable childcare, and school-lunch programs, rather than tax cuts he says mainly benefit the wealthy.
Labor
Supports unions, collective bargaining, and stronger worker protections, and cites work on the campaign to overturn 2025's HB 267.
Environment
Supports urgent action to restore the Great Salt Lake and to restore protections for public lands, including Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante.
Data centers
Opposes large AI data centers, including the proposed Stratos project near the Great Salt Lake, and supports at least a year-long moratorium.
Taxes and campaign finance
Opposes a tax on Social Security and a sales tax on groceries; campaign pledges no corporate PAC money.
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