Utah
Utah State Republicans To Pick Favorites in Senate Primary Saturday
Utah Republicans are set to meet Saturday to decide who they would like to appear on the ballot in the state’s upcoming primary, a process that will signal which of the candidates the party is favoring.
In Utah, there are two ways that candidates can gain ballot access in a primary. They can either gather signatures and petition for access, or the state party can place them on the ballot.
Three candidates in the GOP field have submitted the requisite signatures to appear on ballots regardless of the party’s choices. According to a Utah State University political scientist, Damon Cann, this means that the convention this year serves “more of a winnowing function.”
Republicans and Democrats are meeting on Saturday to choose which candidates they would like to place on the state primary ballots. Their choices could give an indication of who the party is favoring and who is likely to be the next senator representing Utah.
The core question looming over the party conventions is whether the GOP will choose to put forward a candidate who follows in the path of Senator Romney, who is retiring, or Utah’s other lawmaker in that body, Senator Lee.
The contrast between the two Republican senators is sharp. On one hand, Mr. Romney is emblematic of a pre-Trump Republican Party and one of President Trump’s few critics within the ranks of Republican elected officials.
Mr. Lee, on the other hand, is far less critical of the former president in public and often publicly sides with members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus on issues ranging from national security to the debt ceiling.
“None of these candidates are running saying, ‘I will be just like Mitt Romney,’” Mr. Can says. “Usually in an open seat you have someone saying that they will be the heir to the incumbent.”
Potential favorites in the nine-candidate field to get the nod from the state party include a former speaker of the state’s house, Brad Wilson, and Congressman John Curtis.
Mr. Curtis has positioned himself between Messrs. Romney and Lee, telling the Idaho Capitol Sun, “I have a lot of respect for both of them, but I just don’t think I’ve modeled myself after either.” Mr. Curtis has portrayed himself as an effective legislator and as a top Republican on the topic of climate change, founding the Conservative Climate Caucus.
Mr. Wilson is attempting to parlay his reputation as a conservative state house speaker into a successful Senate campaign, also positioning himself between Messrs. Romney and Lee ideologically. Mr. Wilson had also racked up the endorsement of more than 60 Utah lawmakers before Mr. Romney announced that he would not seek re-election this year.
“I am honored and encouraged to have the support of so many leaders from all corners of this great state,” Mr. Wilson said in a statement. “Utah needs a bold, conservative fighter in the U.S. Senate and I am humbled at the support and encouragement we’ve received so quickly.”
The most prominent acolyte of Mr. Trump’s in the race is the mayor of Riverton, a city of 45,000 in the Salt Lake City area, Trent Staggs. While Mr. Wilson enjoys the support of state officials, Mr. Staggs has courted endorsements from online conservative personalities and loyalists of Mr. Trump.
According to Mr. Cann, Mr. Staggs has tailored his campaign to court Republican Party insiders, who tend to be even more ideologically conservative than GOP primary voters.
The last time Mr. Romney appeared before the convention, he was booed by the crowd — an indication that party insiders are more Trump-friendly than even GOP voters there.
“Utah is so unique in the country,” Mr. Cann says. “It’s as Republican of a state as you find in the United States but even among Republicans support for Donald Trump is lower — I’m not going to say it’s low, but it’s lower than it is in comparable states.”
Personalities including Arizona’s Kari Lake, a conservative influencer, Charlie Kirk, and a failed presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, have all endorsed Mr. Staggs.
Congressman Matt Gaetz and Senator Tuberville have also advocated for Mr. Staggs, who has independently campaigned at Mar-a-Lago and CPAC, making him a potentially formidable primary candidate even if he doesn’t get the party’s nod.
“I’m not just somebody going out there trying to pick up any old endorsement,” Mr. Staggs told the Salt Lake Tribune of his campaign. “These are intentional. These are folks that I want to be able to say, ‘I’m going to emulate their type of fire and energy and ability to push back against the establishment.’”
Before entering politics, Mr. Staggs was the president at a multi-level marketing company, Regeneca, best known for male enhancement herbal remedies like RegenErect and RegeneArouse.
Whichever of the 10 candidates succeeds in getting the party’s nod Saturday, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Wilson, and businessman Jason Walton are still guaranteed to appear on the primary ballot, meaning that there will still be a live primary after the convention.
UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.
Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.
“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.
“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”
Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.
“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”
Photos: Utah County Sheriff
In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.
Here are the final results, which show all the movement.
Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.
For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.
The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.
Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!
PROVO — An organization that has been a beacon of hope for Utah children and families just got a big upgrade in Provo.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County on Friday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newest facility, marking the start of a new chapter in providing support for those who need it the most.
The new Kent B. Nelson Clubhouse, 131 N. Olympic Blvd., replaces the organization’s former Provo clubhouse, which had been in operation for more than 50 years. Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County leaders said they had outgrown the aging facility and needed a larger, more modern space to support more community members.
“This new clubhouse is more than a building — it’s a central place where we can coordinate programs, support our staff, and amplify our impact across the region,” said David Bayles, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County, in a statement.
The organization’s mission was something the late former Utah County Commissioner Tom Sakievich was passionate about. His wife Marji and daughter Emily Sakievich attended Friday’s grand opening ceremony just as if he would’ve wanted to.
“He loved this project, and it meant the world to him,” Emily Sakievich told KSL. “This was actually one of the last places he went before he passed. (He) and my mom stopped by to just see how progress was going; he would be so excited to see this come together.”
The former commissioner died last December at the age of 72. Tom Sakievich resigned from the seat in September 2024 after being diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer.
Emily Sakievich said her father was a big supporter of helping children in the Boys & Girls Clubs feel supported while he was in office.
“He would have all of them come to his office and talk about how government works and how they can be a part of it someday,” she said.
The new 20,000 square-foot facility expands on resources and programs offered at its previous site for community youth and families experiencing hardships.
The clubhouse will provide safe, engaging, and educational programs in a modernized building fit to serve more than 14,000 Utah children and teens.
A variety of programs including after-school, summer activities and STEM learning will be offered at the new facility. Other resources include internet safety programs, mental health support, nutrition initiatives, and housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness.
“We’ve been able to increase the capacity so much and add preschool and other things; we can even benefit more families — and we can benefit them for a longer period of time, from younger to older, where there are no gaps.” Provo City Council Chair Katrice MacKay told KSL. “So I’m really excited. It’s a fantastic thing for the city and for our residents.”
Leaders of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County say the new $6 million Provo clubhouse was designed as a welcoming space where children and teens can explore new interests, build life skills, and receive mentorship from caring staff.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs have been a cornerstone of youth development in Utah County for decades,” said Janet Frank, board president, in a statement “This new clubhouse strengthens that mission, allowing the organization to extend its reach and impact across the entire region.”
Friday’s event took place while children who attend the Boys & Girls Clubs were in school, so another ceremony for kids and their families is planned for the end of the month.
“The Boys & Girls Club is for every kid out there,” Bayles said. “We want to accomplish what every parent wants for their kids — we want them to have a safe place to learn and grow, to be successful in school, to build social skills and to go on and be great members of society.”
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
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