Ben McAdams Wins Utah 1st District Democratic Primary

Former U.S. Representative Ben McAdams secured the Democratic nomination for Utah's newly drawn 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, June -23, -2026, positioning himself for a likely return to Congress in a seat that is considered favorable for Democrats. McAdams, a former Salt Lake County mayor who served one term in the House from -2018 to -2020, defeated a field of more progressive challengers.

With over 80 percent of votes reported, McAdams received 60.2 percent of the vote. State Senator Nate Blouin finished second with 24 percent, followed by Liban Mohamed at 12 percent and Michael Farrell at 3.8 percent. The Associated Press called the race shortly after polls closed Tuesday night.

In his victory speech, McAdams framed the win as a victory for pragmatic coalition-building. "The night belongs to every Utahn, who looked at this race and said, 'We need someone with the courage to stand up and to stand alone, and the courage to reach across differences to get it done,'" he said. He also extended an invitation to his competitors' supporters to join his campaign for the November general election.

The primary was characterized as a choice between McAdams's experience and a more...