Utah Democratic Party Candidates
Contested Districts
Uncontested Slate Presentation
House District 1 - Chris Reed
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.
Eva Lopez-Chavez
Eva Lopez Chavez is a Salt Lake City Councilwoman, project manager, and lifelong organizer. The daughter of working-class Mexican immigrants and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ and Mexican American communities, she made history as the first Mexican American elected to the Salt Lake City Council, where she has delivered on housing, supported local businesses, and shown up for residents in every neighborhood. Eva has built a record of turning community demands into policy and action.
Luis Villarreal
Luis Villarreal is a father, husband, and software engineer. He is the son of two immigrants and worked blue-collar jobs throughout college. As the only candidate from Salt Lake County’s west side, he brings a voice often overlooked in Utah politics. A democratic socialist, Luis is focused on building an economy that works for everyone—advancing universal healthcare, immigration reform, and stronger unions. Luis is running to give working families real representation, stability, and a fair shot at long-term success.
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
Jarom Gillines
At 26 years old, Jarom is one of the youngest candidates for U.S. House this year, and he will use his energy to rebuild a system designed for working Utahns. He was raised in Roy, Utah, surrounded by a culture of teaching, service, and community. He learned that doing the right thing matters more than being seen doing it. His campaign is built on this learned service and community before anything else, as his experience with Utah shows that it is the only way to win. As the only candidate capable of unseating a Republican incumbent, he’s ready to get to work.
Ian Parrish
I’ve spent my career in the auto finance industry, leading teams that collected on charged-off loans through negotiation and litigation, and I recently moved to a law firm, where I’m training to become the firm's manager. I accept facts as they are and work diligently to understand the issues as well as I can before making decisions. I wear a lei in honor of my wife’s culture as it’s a symbol of love and friendship, and it serves as a reminder that what unites us as Americans is stronger than anything that divides us.
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.
Tyler Farnsworth
Tyler Farnsworth is a psychiatric nurse practitioner and community leader who has worked on the front lines and understands how policy decisions affect everyday Utahns. He is running for Congress to bring accountable, solutions-focused leadership— strengthening education, supporting rural communities, protecting public lands and water, and ensuring government works for the people it serves, not special interests.
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.
Steven Merrill
Steven Merrill is a Democratic candidate for Congress in Utah’s 3rd District. Raised in a conservative Michigan household, he was shaped by values of hard work and community. After witnessing rising division and harm toward his own family, he moved to Utah in 2019 and became a local organizer. Steve is running to unite working communities, fight for everyday families, and build a government that puts people before corporate interests.
Archie Williams III
Archie Williams is a registered Democrat of more than 39 years who has been actively involved in supporting Democratic candidates through campaigning and financial contributions. He believes in the power of working together to advance shared goals and strengthen communities. Archie is committed to encouraging civic engagement and voter participation, and he supports the idea that unity and collective action can help create a better future for everyone.
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.
Salvador Giove
Salvador immigrated from Italy and grew up in a working-class family. Salvador served as an Air Traffic Controller in the U.S. Air Force, worked in private industry and the FAA, and enlisted in the Army National Guard. There, Salvador earned a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Signal Corps and trained in combat communications and information systems. After a long career in military and federal service, Salvador is running for office to expand opportunity, support small businesses, and ensure government works for everyday citizens.
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.
Zane Woolstenhulme
Zane Woolstenhulme grew up farming and ranching in Weber Canyon and the Kamas Valley and managed his family’s store, Ken’s Kash. After an LDS mission in France and earning an accounting degree from the University of Utah, he spent nearly 40 years in public education administration, including 12 years as the Ogden School District’s business administrator. A former Oakley mayor and longtime planning commissioner, Zane has worked to preserve farmland, expand open space, and support affordable housing.
Zeppelin Zeerip
Zeppelin is a documentary filmmaker and founder of Field Work Creative, a Salt Lake City-based production company with a decade of work spanning public lands, climate, and social reform storytelling. A Summit County small business owner with deep roots in Utah's outdoor culture, he's running for HD-4 to bring that ground-level perspective to protecting the places and communities that define this state.
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.
Micah Kagan
Micah currently works in the Skier Services Department for Deer Valley. Prior to joining Deer Valley he worked as the Business Development Director for Leaders for Clean Air, a group dedicated to building out Utah’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure. In his spare time, he is helping to build a stronger, more connected community across the Wasatch by coaching youth basketball and volunteering at his children’s school. Micah has an undergraduate degree from George Washington University and a master’s degree from New York University.
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.
Milo Anderson
Milo Anderson is an educator, communications professional, and voiceover actor with a background in journalism, broadcasting, and IT. He holds a B.A. from Cal Poly Humboldt and served on the LACCD Board of Trustees, representing 250,000+ students. He taught at Logan High School. Milo enjoys reading, current events, and board games. He lives with his wife Tamara, an attorney, their son Marcus, and their pets. He is passionate about education and is deeply concerned about the direction of the current state school board.