Utah Democratic Party Candidates
Contested Districts
Uncontested Slate Presentation
House District 1 - Chris Reed
House District 4 - Zane Woolstenhulme
House District 8 - Kim James
House District 11 - Dave Calder
House District 12 - Anna Graff
House District 23 - Hoang Nguyen
House District 29 - Sara Snow
House District 66 - Breanne Mashek
House District 67 - Carl Ingwell
House District 69 - Tracie Yellowman Tso
House District 70 - Stacey Pendergraft
Senate District 1 - Claudia Bigler
Senate District 7 - Garrett Rushforth
Senate District 11 - Mackenzie Miller
Senate District 18 - A. Dane Anderson
Senate District 28 - Richard (Shane) Roillard
Utah State School Board of Education 11 - Lacey Peterson
Utah State School Board of Education 14 - Danielle Stratton
Congressional District 1
Ben McAdams
Ben McAdams is a former Member of Congress, Salt Lake County Mayor, and Utah State Senator known for standing his ground to fight for what's right while building common ground to deliver real results. He has fought and won battles for LGBTQ equality, climate action, and public lands, strong public education, addiction recovery and homelessness support, and women's reproductive freedom. A proven coalition-builder, Ben has passed legislation and delivered solutions that make a real difference, showing time and again that you can lead with principle, bring people together, and get things done.
Liban Mohamed
Born and raised in Utah by Somali immigrant parents, Liban learned early that strong communities are built by people showing up for one another. He served as Utah Government Relations Director at the American Heart Association, advancing life-saving policies like extending postpartum Medicaid coverage and expanding CPR training for students and emergency dispatchers. He later led congressional investigations strategy at TikTok, helping protect over 220,000 American jobs during intense federal scrutiny, before resigning in protest of corporate influence over democratic accountability.
Nate Blouin
Nate has spent his career taking on powerful interests, beating a 36-year incumbent by 50 points and getting called "a punk" by Republican leadership for standing up for working families. He sponsored ICE-out legislation in the State Senate and supports Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, taxing billionaires, ending the genocide in Gaza, and fighting back against Trump's authoritarianism to defend our democracy. Endorsed by Bernie Sanders, several local unions, and many more!
Michael Farrell
Michael is a tax attorney, a progressive Democrat, and a first-time candidate for office. Michael grew up in a middle-class family, attended two of the nation's top public universities (UCLA and the University of Michigan), and has worked across the US and Europe. Michael and his amazing wife, Elizabeth, have put down roots in Sugar House. Michael is running to represent CD-1 because, unlike some of the other candidates in the race, he isn't just pretending he'll be a progressive champion for Utahns, and because he knows how to actually get things done.
Congressional District 2
Peter Crosby
Peter Crosby comes from a military family and is a longtime resident of Northern Utah, where he and his wife of twenty years have raised their three daughters. With an education in political science and professional experience in both the public and private sectors, he has the knowledge and experience to find real solutions for the affordability, sustainability, and accountability crises impacting our communities today. Peter is dedicated to principled public service built on honesty, integrity, and open communication.
Kent Udell
Kent S. Udell is a distinguished engineer, scientist, and educator who served as a professor at UC Berkeley and the University of Utah. He has deep Utah roots that extend for generations. A leader in energy innovation, groundwater cleanup, and engineering ethics, he developed technologies used worldwide to reduce toxic contamination and protect public health. He has served on numerous Federal Advisory Boards. His career reflects a lifelong commitment to science, public service, sustainability, and the protection of future generations.
Jonny Larsen
Jonny Larsen, a Marine combat veteran, was raised in a Salt Lake City trailer park by his grandmother, whose union pension and Social Security shaped his belief in supporting working families. After a challenging childhood supported by a tight-knit community, he enlisted in the Marines at 17, served in Iraq, and later built a career in IT before pursuing higher education in math and physics. Now living in Salt Lake City, he is running a grassroots campaign focused on affordable healthcare, education, workers’ rights, and government accountability, grounded in his lifelong commitment to service and community.
Dakota Wurth
Dakota Wurth is a current Clearfield City Council Member, where he's the youngest person to ever win an election at the age of 27 and Davis County's firstever openly gay elected official. Dakota has a robust professional background in affordable housing, where he's helped hundreds of families across Utah purchase homes and expanded opportunities for low-moderate income families. Dakota is running for State Senate because he's seen firsthand how bad state policy raises the cost of living and makes it more challenging for regular people to get ahead.
CJ Hernandez
CJ Hernandez is a Weber County native and former U.S. diplomat and senior executive with more than two decades of leadership across the Foreign Service, U.S. Air Force, and local government. She has led large, diverse teams, managed multi-million-dollar budgets, and delivered results in complex environments. CJ is running for Utah Senate District 5 to bring proven, accountable leadership on affordability, public education, and protecting the Great Salt Lake.
Shana Anderson
Shana Anderson served 5 years of active duty in the US Army. She holds a Master's degree in applied economics from Utah State University. When not chasing her toddler through the house, Shana has been researching exactly what has caused falling wages throughout the United States despite ever-higher costs. She has answers and is ready to address the problem head-on.
Celeste Johnson
Celeste Johnson is a longtime Wasatch Back resident, wife, mother, and grandmother whose deep community roots drive her to run for Utah House District 59. Before serving two terms as Midway’s mayor, she co-founded a nonprofit to protect local farmland and open space, working directly with landowners on practical solutions. With additional experience on the Utah State Land Conservancy Board, Johnson brings a pragmatic, community-first approach and is running to ensure stronger local representation at the state level.
Cathy Callow-Heusser
A staunch public education advocate and educator, Dr. Cathy strives to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students. After 15 years as an engineer, she’s spent 30 years as an educator, teaching at middle and high schools as well as at USU, where she served as Director of Developmental Math and managed many education-related grants. She served as USBE’s UMTSS coordinator and instructional specialist. As a contracted early literacy coach, Dr. Cathy worked with the Bureau of Indian Education and Alaskan village schools.