Utah Rep. Owens Announces No Reelection Bid

U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens, a Republican from Utah and former NFL player, announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection or any other elected office after completing his current term in Congress.

Owens, who has represented Utah's 4th Congressional District since 2021, made the decision amid a court-ordered redistricting process that reshaped the state's congressional map. The new boundaries, finalized by a state judge last year and upheld by federal courts, create one Democratic-leaning district in the Salt Lake City area while preserving three solidly Republican seats. This configuration had placed Utah's four GOP incumbents in competition for the three Republican districts, raising the prospect of intra-party primaries. Owens's retirement removes him from that equation, allowing Reps. Blake Moore, Celeste Maloy and Mike Kennedy to pursue the remaining seats without facing another incumbent.

"I will finish this term fully committed and fully accountable," Owens said in a statement posted on social media. "My final political sprint will be here in Utah and across the country, helping my colleagues expand our Republican majority." He added that his work to advance opportunity,...