Utah
Utah congressional candidate Stewart Peay says Ukraine aid is best investment 'in the history of the Department of Defense'
Editor’s note: This is the first of a series of articles looking at the Republican candidates for Utah’s open 3rd Congressional District seat.
Military veteran Stewart Peay has a practical political philosophy he wants to bring to Utah’s crowded 3rd Congressional District race. Lawmakers, just like service members, are there to do a job so important they can’t let partisan obstructionism get in the way of moving the mission forward, he says.
As one of five Republicans to qualify for the June 25 primary election for the open House seat, Peay, who was endorsed by Sen. Mitt Romney last week, is trying to differentiate himself with his stance on Ukraine and his approach to public service.
“The Republican Party in the United States Congress has kind of come to a crossroads,” Peay said in an interview with the Deseret News editorial board on Wednesday. “There’s a chaos caucus,” he said, “who wants to spend a lot of time pounding their fists and accomplishing very little.” And then there’s a “second path … taking small wins, moving our economy forward, moving our national defense forward, moving our immigration forward.”
Peay supports aid for Ukraine
In addition to taking a firm stance on continued support for Ukraine in its defensive war against Russia, Peay has sought to align himself with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, current 3rd District Rep. John Curtis and Romney.
“I believe in the civility we’ve seen from Cox, the pragmatism you see from John Curtis, and the bipartisanship you see from Mitt Romney,” Peay said.
Romney — Peay’s uncle-in-law — endorsed Peay on May 8. At the time, Peay told the Deseret News the endorsement was not a family favor and indicated that he was a serious candidate and would be a responsible legislator.
Despite growing pressure from former President Donald Trump and an increasingly isolationist wing of the Republican Party, Peay believes that military support for Ukraine would be a no-brainer for “(Ronald) Reagan and conservatives for the decades that have led up to this.”
“We have a duty that goes back to the Reagan belief of supporting those who will fight for their freedom, which the Ukrainians clearly will,” Peay said. “We need to show that we are not going to allow the Western world to be pushed around.”
In the two years since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a war to take over Ukraine, Congress has approved some $175 billion in aid to support the Ukrainian government and provide them with weapons, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Peay doesn’t think the U.S. should provide more non-military aid with questions arising about accountability and corruption in Ukraine. But he is “fully supportive of giving them the weapons and ammunition” to push Russians behind the line they held a year ago before more recent advances.
“We’re talking about what is roughly 3% of our defense budget,” Peay said. “According to British intelligence, Ukrainians have degraded Russian combat power by about 50%. That’s probably the greatest return on investment in the history of the Department of Defense.”
Peay said he “can’t imagine a scenario” where he would support sending American troops to Ukraine. But, he added, the U.S. must continue to pressure NATO partners to pay their fair share by meeting defense-spending requirements.
Ukraine position informed by time in Russia and Iraq
Peay’s views on foreign policy and on how public officials should conduct themselves were formed at a young age. His father worked as the chief of staff for the Utah Army National Guard and retired as the deputy adjutant general.
“Growing up in that environment, you’re taught to love your country, you’re taught duty, you’re taught honor, you’re taught to do what’s best for your country,” Peay said.
Peay was further convinced of American exceptionalism and the need for strong American leaders, he said, after serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Russia shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union. He then studied economics at Brigham Young University and received a law degree from BYU’s law school.
Less than six months after taking the bar exam, he was in Baghdad as a National Guard member, where Peay said he spent nearly a year conducting military intelligence for Operation Iraqi Freedom. His task was to help find the infamous “weapons of mass destruction” that spurred America’s 2003 invasion but were never identified.
Peay understands why “many Americans and Republicans have grown tired of war” after 20-plus years of fighting. But he said the conflicts in Ukraine and Iraq couldn’t be more different. By supporting Ukraine, the U.S. is not initiating a war but supporting an ally, he said.
Working in Iraq with representatives from various allied countries, including Britain, Italy and Ukraine, taught him that to achieve American interests abroad, the United States needs to maintain relationships with a coalition of allies, Peay said.
Peay said the “isolationist strand” within the GOP, which he thinks falls just short of a majority in Congress, is “dangerous” because it emboldens enemies and actually forestalls peace.
“There’s a lot of division at home,” Peay said. “And I think there’s a good argument that we should focus on those things. But one of the duties of being the leader of the free world is that you have to focus on home and away.”
Peay’s policy priorities
Among his other top issues, Peay said his first priority is cutting spending. He would do this by supporting a balanced budget amendment prohibiting Congress from spending more than it receives. This would require cuts across the board, including delaying entitlement programs for everyone under 50, Peay said.
Next is reforming the country’s immigration system. Peay said the country must treat the southern border like the northern border and require asylum-seekers to first make their claim to Mexico before they can apply for asylum in the U.S. He also said the country must counter cartels with more aggressive intelligence operations.
Peay said one of the most important roles of anyone who represents Utah’s 3rd District, which includes Sandy, Draper, much of Utah County and all of eastern Utah, is to push back against federal overreach on public lands. He said he would continue Curtis’ effort to repeal new Bureau of Land Management conservation rules and would pressure federal agencies to recognize state and county resource plans when implementing changes.
Peay is the lead commercial litigator at Snell & Wilmer, LLP, in Salt Lake City. He served as Utah County GOP chair from 2019-2021. His first foray into electoral politics was when he ran against Curtis in the 3rd District’s special election in 2017, in which he was eliminated at the state GOP nominating convention.
Peay will appear on the primary ballot as one of four candidates, including Roosevelt mayor JR Bird, Sky Zone CEO Case Lawrence and state auditor John Dougall, who qualified by gathering 7,000 certified signatures. They will face the GOP convention nominee, state Sen. Mike Kennedy, in the June 25 primary.
On Nov. 5, the Republican nominee will face off against Democratic candidate Glenn Wright.
Last year, a Reddit thread circulated asking the question, “Who is the worst Canadian?” To little surprise, Ted Cruz was among those who were named.
You know Ted, right? That unctuous Texas Senator who revels in appearing smart but who gives off spider vibes? His name being on the list was not a surprise.
Neither was Elon Musk who, while not born in Canada, does bear a Canadian passport since his mother was born there. You know, birthright stuff.
At the time, Elon was dismantling much of the United States infrastructure in the name of DOGE. (Did you ever get your $2,000 check? Do we currently miss USAID in the emerging Ebola zones?) It’s little wonder that Elon scored so well on the dishonor list, never mind that he wasn’t even living in Canada during the polling.
Other prominent names included hockey legend Wayne Gretzky (a living example of the motif ETTD—Everything Trump Touches Dies—if there ever was one), politician and philosopher Jordan Peterson, who affirms that masculinity is under assault while he assaults everything, plus Gavin McInnes, a Proud Boys founder who had relocated to the good ole USA.
The list morphed into an NCAA playoff structure, with brackets that culled the field down to a final winner. I’m going to ask the editors at City Weekly to create a similar bracket that our readers can vote in to find this year’s Worst Utahn.
Can you imagine a showdown between Mike Lee and Trevor Lee in the finals? I can. Or maybe it could be 2024 Spencer Cox against 2026 Spencer Cox—one cusping on bad, the other embracing it.
Utah’s new favorite authority, Kevin O’Leary, might also be on the Worst Utahn list, due to his proximity to all things powerful and secret at the state government level. If Kevin gets his way with the proposed giant data center in Box Elder County, he might even be a full-fledged Utah resident by then. That means, woefully, I’ll have to boycott Box Elder County.
I’m no good at boycotts. I’m weak—so yeah, I lied. I’ll still eat the great peaches and I’ll still eat at Maddox Steak House in Perry. But only when Kevin isn’t around.
We’ve been warned, you know. Along with the other worst Canadians on the Canada list was “Mr. Wonderful” himself, Kevin O’Leary. What kind of snipe would embrace calling himself Mr. Wonderful? Especially one as handsome-reverse as Kevin O’Leary? Well, there’s one, and it’s more apropos—the late, great Paul Orndorff of World Wrestling Federation fame. He had a better run at being Mr. Wonderful than O’Leary ever will.
O’Leary didn’t give himself the name. One of his fellow billionaire panelists on Shark Tank provided that moniker after he tried to mind-wrassle an inventor out of a money-making idea. He even trademarked the name. If that sounds Trumpian, it is.
Among the many dubious qualities that are associated with O’Leary is the recurring one that he often emulates president—and fellow self-proclaimed brilliant businessman—Donald Trump. He does sound like him here and there, in both brashness and bullshit.
Utahns don’t need reminding that one day, we were blissfully unaware that anyone was even purchasing land in Box Elder County, only to awaken the next day to find that an O’Leary-led cabal of Utah political sad sacks had quietly compiled a 40,000-acre aggregation destined to become the largest water and land-use boondoggle known to modern man. We Utah historians correctly note that the floods that floated Noah were of grander scale, but this one is right up there.
The hue and cry from all corners were loud and clear: Utah does not welcome the idea of an interloper coming in with paid-off politicians in arms, selling the prospect of a massive data center and arriving without so much as a local hearing. Utah was blindsided.
When locals protested, O’Leary again donned his Donald Trump costume, marched into the friendly studios of Fox News and spouted off the lies that protesters were bussed in, that we must love our country in this critical time and that China can’t win the data center wars.
The USA has 40% of all data centers worldwide, with more coming. But such information cannot dissuade the average Fox viewer, who is over 65 years old and will be dead when the data center begins siphoning Utah water and cooking the remaining residents of Box Elder County inside their very own Air Fryer.
But O’Leary’s biggest lie was saved for two women—also a Trumpian move. He accused Utah-born Gabi Finlayson and Jackie Morgan (both of Elevate Utah, which is indeed politically aligned toward the Democratic party) as being paid agents of China. Their crime? Exposing O’Leary, Cox and the rest as being as useless as teats on a Box Elder bull.
Finlayson and Morgan took to their own social media, delivering a master class in mockery that accelerated them to social media stardom and exposed O’Leary as a bumbling asshole. Not dissuaded, O’Leary also stupidly punched at Senate candidate Caroline Gleich, who similarly punched back with the reminder that while she has no foreign ties, O’Leary himself is not only Canadian by birth, but is also a citizen of the UAE—who is the foreigner again?
I’m thrilled to no end to see these “masculine” men kneecapped by stronger women.
If they see this, I’ll buy tequila shooters for Gabi, Jackie and Caroline. By the looks of things, all across the entire political spectrum, it will be women who save us from ourselves and from unwelcome political grabs.
We may need data centers. We don’t need Mr. Not-So-Wonderful.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah football’s first official visit weekend of the 2027 recruiting cycle has already produced a payoff, as Morgan Scalley has landed the commitment of three-star offensive lineman Sire Stewart.
Stewart, a 6-foot-5, 255-pound offensive tackle out of Chandler High School in Arizona, became one of the key names to watch coming into the weekend.
Utah hosted several offensive line targets as part of its first official visit group, and Stewart leaving Salt Lake City committed gives the Utes a tangible recruiting win at a priority position.
A Fast Win For Utah’s New Recruiting Operation
Utah’s first official visit weekend under Scalley was always going to be about more than hosting prospects. It was the first major chance for the new regime to show recruits and families what the program looks like with Scalley as head coach and D’Orazio helping guide the roster-building operation.
Stewart’s commitment gives Utah an early return from that effort.
The Utes need momentum in the 2027 class, and official visit weekends are where that momentum often starts. Landing an offensive lineman from Arizona also reinforces one of Utah’s most important recruiting priorities: continuing to build regionally while identifying prospects who fit the program’s developmental model.
Stewart had official visits scheduled to Washington State and Boise State but elected to give his pledge to the Utes instead.
Utah Got In Early
Utah’s pursuit of Stewart did not begin this weekend. Offensive line coach Jordan Gross offered Stewart in early February, with the Utes becoming his 10th offer and third Power Four opportunity behind Duke and Arizona. Since then, Stewart has added offers from Oklahoma State, Baylor and Cal, while also making an unofficial visit to Arizona State.
Utah was not late to the evaluation. The Utes identified Stewart early, prioritized him and then got him on campus for the first official visit weekend of the cycle. In modern recruiting, that kind of early relationship-building is important.
Gross may be new to college coaching, but this is a good first recruiting win. He gives Utah a unique offensive line pitch. He played at Utah, became one of the program’s best examples of development translating to the NFL, and now gets to sell that same path to recruits. For a prospect like Stewart, Utah can offer both a developmental plan and a real example of what that plan can become.
Building The Class Up Front
Stewart’s commitment also continues a clear early theme for Utah. The Utes are prioritizing the trenches, particularly from the high school ranks.
Utah has long built its program around line-of-scrimmage play, and that identity is not expected to change under Scalley. If anything, it appears to be one of the first pieces of the roster construction plan being emphasized in the 2027 class.
Stewart gives Utah a developmental offensive line prospect with the frame to grow into a Big 12 lineman. Listed by 247Sports at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, he still has room to add strength and mass, but the foundation is there.
This commitment gives Utah momentum, but particularly with the offensive linemen they’re in pursuit of. Utah will continue to push for fellow offensive linemen Lincoln Mageo, Ian Aloisio, Tye Kennedy, Damian Anyasodo, Gecova Doyal, and Amaziah Siale.
Mageo and Doyal were also part of the visit with Stewart, giving Utah an added presence to recruit those two. Kennedy and Anyasodo will officially visit the Salt Lake City this weeend, while Siale has been a big priority for Utah and will visit at the end of the month.
The Bottom Line
Sire Stewart’s commitment is not just another name on Utah’s 2027 board. It is the first real proof point from the Utes’ opening official visit weekend under Scalley.
Utah identified him early, got him to campus and closed. That is what good recruiting operations are supposed to do.
For Stewart, the commitment gives him a clear developmental home in a program that has long valued offensive line play. For Utah, it adds another piece to a 2027 class that needs to reflect the new regime’s roster-building vision.
The Utes have always believed in winning up front. Stewart’s commitment shows that message is still central to how Utah plans to build.
Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
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SALT LAKE CITY — Lucas Horns points over a fence on Main Street toward an empty lot with a blue shipping container on it, tucked between downtown Salt Lake City’s tallest buildings.
That container, he explains, will serve as a makeshift bar on Thursdays and Fridays through the remainder of summer, set up next to a live music stage and a space that will be dedicated to various lawn games for people of all ages. The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art will provide some art as part of an outdoor sculpture and food and drink venue combination aimed to liven up an otherwise dead space.
“Our hope is just to add to the ecosystem,” said Horns, program director for the Blocks, a joint venture between Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County to develop arts and culture programs within the downtown area.
The Blocks is launching what it calls the “Art Garten” in the lot of the old Utah Pantages Theater, 144 S. Main, beginning this week. It’s a free event that blends a beer garden with live music, art and games for all ages.
A DJ will be spinning hits from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, while live music from the steps of the Eccles Theater across the street will fill the air during the same hours on Friday. A rotating list of DJs and live bands will fill in the space during the same hours twice a week for the next few months.
The event will include a rotating food truck lineup, along with cornhole, giant chess and other lawn games for people of all ages. The Blocks didn’t want to compete with bars and restaurants, so the hours hit around happy hour, while also being friendly for people with families, Horns said.
“We were interested in adding something new to downtown,” he told KSL. “There aren’t a lot of spaces where families can go, and the parents can grab a beer and hang out while their kids play lawn games. That’s kind of a rarity in Utah, and especially downtown, so I think we’re filling an important niche.”
At the same time, it livens up a piece of Main Street that’s been lifeless for years.
The Utah Pantages Theater was demolished in 2022, amid a last-second effort to preserve the century-old building. Salt Lake leaders approved a $0 sale of the building to international real estate firm Hines and local developer Joel LaSalle in 2019, setting the stage for a proposed 31-story residential high-rise on Main Street.
However, the project stalled with the market. “Unprecedented market changes,” such as record inflation, emerged at approximately the same time as the theater was demolished, making it difficult to secure financing for the project off the ground, a spokesperson for Hines told KSL in 2024.
The situation hasn’t changed much since then, leaving Main Street with a vacant lot blocked off by a large wooden board for years. Some of the lessons from “Open Streets” and other downtown activation events helped piece together an event to use the space while it remains vacant.
“We’re excited just to be able to do a pop-up park like that in that location on Main Street, with programming unlike anything else we’ve done on Main Street,” said Dee Brewer, director of the Salt Lake City Downtown Alliance. “I’m really excited to see how the public responds.”
Hines cleared the space for the event, which will continue on Thursdays and Fridays through the end of September. Horns and Brewer say they expect the venue to return next year and potentially longer, depending on how long the tower project remains on pause.
It may not be the perfect solution to a development holdup, but they believe it’s an upgrade from the current situation.
“A blank, empty wall is never good for walkability or for the urban environment,” Horns said.
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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