It's a big day in Utah politics! The Utah Republican Party and the Utah Democratic Party are both holding their state conventions! Max Roth is covering the Republicans at Utah Valley University in Orem and Ben Winslow is covering the Democrats at Jordan High School in Sandy. Follow along with FOX 13 News' live blog of coverage (keep refreshing for updates):
9:13 p.m.
Here are the specific ranked choice voting results from the Utah Democratic Party convention, shared with FOX 13 News:
-Ben Winslow
7:44 p.m.
Results are in from the Utah Democratic Party convention, where Liban Mohamed pulled off an upset at convention to win delegates' top choice for the 1st Congressional District.
CD4:
Johnny Larsen - 94.9% (convention nominee)
CD3:
Kent Udell 56.5% (convention nominee)
CD2:
Peter Crosby 76.5% (convention nominee)
CD1:
Liban Mohamed - 51.18%
Ben McAdams - 49.5% (after 5 rounds)
Nate Blouin eliminated in round 4
Michael Farrell eliminated in round 3
Luis Villarreal eliminated in round 2
Eva Lopez Chavez eliminated in round 1
-Ben Winslow
7:02 p.m.
There was a snafu with some of the delegate voting. From what Utah Democratic Party officials told candidates, a volunteer checking in some of the delegates didn't check a box and they were credentialed but received no ballot. So they've kept the voting open while they reach them to ensure they cast a ballot.
Results coming soon. Maybe?
-Ben Winslow
6:31 p.m.
Final result in Congressional District 3:
- Celeste Maloy: 50.95%
- Phil Lyman: 49.04%
Primary is set between them. Lyman gained percentage when the two other challengers dropped off the ballot.
-Max Roth
6:15 p.m.
Now that most of the delegates are gone, they've dumped a bunch of American flag beach balls onto the remaining crowd and are playing Surfin' USA. It may be the oldest crowd by median age ever to get such treatment!
-Max Roth
6:13 p.m.
While we wait for results from the Democrats? Someone is playing "The Macarena" to a near-empty auditorium. Dance like no one's watching!
-Ben Winslow
5:41 p.m.
Another note: Celeste Maloy sounded happy in her one-minute speech for this round. She was likely worried because Phil Lyman's supporters were louder than hers. Alas, votes aren't counted by decibels.
-Max Roth
5:38 p.m.
While we wait for Congressional District 3 rerun, some may be surprised at Blake Moore getting so few votes as an incumbent. One of the most important issues among these delegates: the redistricting fight. Blake Moore was in favor of Prop 4 when it passed in 2018.
-Max Roth
5:29 p.m.
Round 1 GOP State Convention Results:
- Congressional District 1:
- Riley Owen wins outright and is the party's nominee.
- Congressional District 2:
- Karianne Lisonbee: 61.5%
- Blake Moore: 33.7%
- Lisonbee goes through to the primary with Moore, who has signatures.
- Congressional District 3:
- Celeste Maloy: 50%
- Phil Lyman: 47%
- There will be one more round between the two.
- Congressional District 4:
- Mike Kennedy wins outright and is the party's nominee.
-Max Roth
5:18 p.m.
After a long wait, results may be coming in. Then there will be speeches if there are run-offs. So I don't think this will end by five p....oh, look at the time!
-Max Roth
5:08 p.m.
Regardless of today's delegate votes (which can swing a lot of momentum)? Liban Mohamed, Ben McAdams, Michael Farrell and Nate Blouin will be in the June primary. Democrats are holding the vote open for 90 minutes and using ranked-choice voting. So we should get results within the hour.
-Ben Winslow
4:53 p.m.
While we wait for results from the delegate voting? State Rep. Grant Miller's ska band, "Making Waves," is performing for the crowd. Some delegates are dancing in the audience.
-Ben Winslow
4:07 p.m.
Ben McAdams came out on stage to loud applause. His speech was disrupted by a heckler who was ejected from the convention. Liban Mohamed got loud cheers as he gave a fiery speech. Luis Villareal got polite applause as he spoke about blue collar issues. Eva Lopez Chavez initially got some boos as she walked on stage, but ended with applause as she spoke. Nate Blouin took some shots at his colleagues in the race during his speech, but the crowd cheered him. Michael Farrell delivered a passionate speech and earned cheers from delegates.
Now the voting begins.
-Ben Winslow
4:00 p.m.
Awaiting results in the Congressional races, and I just talked with Celeste Maloy, Phil Lyman and Tyler Murset in District 3. Maloy has signatures, so the question is whether someone will join her in a primary. Both she and Lyman took a deep breath when answering what they feel going forward. Each has run in big races and knows a primary is a slog. Murset stuck to his platform, which is an actual platform: he developed an app for constituents to tell their reps how they would vote, and he vows he'd follow that completely. Unique, but he's unlikely to continue with so much oxygen going to the others.
-Max Roth
3:22 p.m.
The Utah Democratic Party is utilizing ranked-choice voting, so things should go quickly. In the 1st Congressional District? Here's the candidates who gathered signatures and have already earned a spot on the primary ballot:
Ben McAdams
Nate Blouin
Liban Mohamed
Michael Farrell
Eva Lopez Chavez did not submit enough signatures and Luis Villareal did not submit any, per info from the Lt. Governor's website.
-Ben Winslow
3:04 p.m.
We're getting down to business at the Democratic party convention. Stand by for candidates...
-Ben Winslow
2:52 p.m.
Davis County Democrats brought "emotional support seagulls" to convention.
Lady Liberty has been posing for pictures with delegates.
-Ben Winslow
2:45 p.m.
GOP candidates who have gathered enough signatures to get on the primary ballot:
CD1: Riley Owen, (open seat)
CD2: Blake Moore, (incumbent)
CD3: Celeste Maloy, (incumbent)
Moore and Maloy both may need that backup, as the crowd seemed more supportive of Karianne Lisonbee challenging Moore and Phil Lyman challenging Maloy.
-Max Roth
2:33 p.m.
All congressional candidate speeches are finished and the convention is preparing to gather ballots for all the districts at once. If any contests have no candidate getting more than 60 percent support, it will go to another round until someone gets enough vote or only two candidates remain. If it's two candidates, they will both go to the primary ballot. If it's a single winner, they still could face a primary if another candidate collected enough signatures to make the primary ballot.
-Max Roth
2:32 p.m.
The Democrats are ahead of schedule. They've taken a recess until 3 p.m., then we'll hear from the congressional race candidates.
-Ben Winslow
2:20 p.m.
As some candidates head to breakout sessions for legislative candidates, Ali Vallarta, the host of the podcast CityCast SLC, gives a speech to the delegates in a spirited defense of local news. She urges the crowd to donate to local newsrooms to the same amount they support politicians.
We are hearing from some of the legislative races.
-Ben Winslow
2:06 p.m.
Blake Moore gets mixed support from GOP convention delegates. State Rep. Karianne Lisonbee makes forceful speech with enthusiastic, but not overwhelming response.
-Max Roth
1:43 p.m.
The Democrats have credentialed 1,671 delegates, it's announced to cheers. Party business about to get under way.
-Ben Winslow
1:37 p.m.
Stuart Adams, State Senate President, will face a primary election against challenger Braden Hess. Adams got 55% of delegate votes to Hess' 45%. Adams faced questions last year about a law that allegedly benefitted a young relative facing a sex crime charge.
-Max Roth
1:25 p.m.
Rob Bishop, former U.S. Representative, former Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives will now return to his state house seat representing District 6 for the remainder of this Legislature and will be the Republican Candidate in November.
-Max Roth
1:24 p.m.
The Democrats are convening for business. Party chair Brian King got the crowd excited when he talked about how Democrats are growing in membership. He did a little criticizing of President Trump, urging the crowd to show up and get more involved.
"We love this country. Full stop," he tells the crowd. "We love it enough to tell the truth about it. We love it enough to fight for it. We love it enough to show up, year after year, in a state where it isn't easy."
Loud cheers for Rep. John Arthur who read a poem entitled "The Bad Ass Women of the Democratic Party," which included a shoutout to the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government for their redistricting litigation (that led to the new 1st Congressional District race).
-Ben Winslow
1:15 p.m.
GOP changed the agenda so all Congressional Candidates will speak for first round, then voting, then take care of business while first round is counted.
CORRECTION! New districts make CD 1 the Salt Lake County district and Blake Moore, Karianne Lisonbee and Colton Hatch are competing for a new CD2.
-Max Roth
12:56 p.m.
1st Congressional District candidate Eva Lopez Chavez, who has faced accusations of unwanted sexual advances from fellow Democrats, told me she is still in the race and she is urging delegates to support her. She told me she is hearing from delegates who are asking about the accusations (she has denied wrongdoing).
"It hurts everybody. It is shocking. The most important thing is that we let our transparent judicial processes run through," Lopez Chavez said. "I'm here today. Because I know my character and I want my community to see that as well and to not be afraid to stand up and ask for the Democratic party to change in favor of Latinos, in favor of women and to represent the families we're fighting for."
-Ben Winslow
12:48 p.m.
Democratic delegates I've spoken with are very excited at having the new Congressional district and "fair representation," as they have put it over and over again. As candidates see our cameras, their volunteer grab signs and they pose and cheer to build up excitement.
The convention itself will get under way shortly.
-Ben Winslow
12:11 p.m.
Unsurprisingly, U.S. Senator Mike Lee is a darling of the convention crowd as he says the Senate needs to end the filibuster to allow for passage of the SAVE act.
-Max Roth
11:52 p.m.
Utah Valley University's UCCU Center Arena is packed with thousands of delegates. Already a little behind schedule, but the big events aren't scheduled until 1:30pm. That's when candidates for Utah's 4 Congressional districts start making their case for the job of U.S. Representative.
The most visible competition is in CD3, where incumbent Celeste Maloy faces a tough challenge with former State Representative Phil Lyman, who has long been a grassroots favorite.
CD1 also has a race between incumbent Blake Moore and challenger Karianne Lisonbee, with a similar establishment/grassroots dynamic.
In the meantime, I'll be watching how the delegates respond to elected Republicans like Governor Spencer Cox and U.S. Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis.
-Max Roth
10:13 a.m.
Here's who is running for what right now:
-Ben Winslow
9:52 a.m.
It's going to be a big day. Delegates for each of the political parties are choosing their preferred candidates for Congressional races. For the Democrats? The big fight will be hotly contested 1st Congressional District (Ben McAdams vs. Nate Blouin vs. Liban Mohamed vs. Eva Lopez Chavez vs. Michael Farrell vs. Luis Villareal). The Republicans have multiple candidates in that race, too, but more of the interest centers around the newly-formed 2nd Congressional District (Blake Moore vs. Karianne Lisonbee) and the 3rd Congressional District (Celeste Maloy vs. Phil Lyman).
We'll be updating throughout the day from the conventions, but things won't really start kicking off until this afternoon.
-Ben Winslow & Max Roth
