Christopher Peterson: Democratic nominee for governor

Chris Peterson is a professor of business law at the University of Utah. He previously taught for five years at the University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law.

Peterson said he is a fifth-generation Utahn who was born and raised in West Valley City. He and his wife, Tera, an assistant solicitor general in the Utah Attorney General’s Office, have three children.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in 1998 and earned a Juris Doctor from the U. of U. S.J. Quinney College of Law in 2001.

Peterson announced his candidacy for governor on March 4 and named community organizer Karina Brown as his running mate. She also serves on the Cache Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

His campaign received 88.4 percent of the vote during the Democratic Primary Convention in April.

The candidate served in the U.S. Department of Defense and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — a federal agency dedicated to ensuring banks and other financial businesses treat customers fairly.

Peterson’s team stopped illegal practices by Wall Street banks, payday lenders and debt collectors, returning nearly $12 billion in restitution to working Americans, according to Ballotpedia.

“Despite all of Utah’s success, too many of our families are still struggling to get by,” Peterson told KSL. “In 2020, every Utahn deserves access to affordable health care, a great education, clean air and a government that respects public opinion.

“As governor, I will work tirelessly to promote affordable health care, ensure quality education, uphold environmental stewardship and safeguard consumers,” Peterson said.

Before the May 15 deadline, Peterson had urged Gov. Gary Herbert to extend the moratorium on evictions of renters in Utah.

Utah has not had a Democratic governor since Scott Matheson left office in January 1985.

Find out more about candidate Peterson at his campaign website.