SALT LAKE CITY — There is a new name in the race for Chair of the Utah Republican Party and its Sen. Mike Lee’s State Director Robert Axson.

#NEW There’s a new name in the running to be chair of the @UtahGOP. @RobertAxson has filed.

Axson currently runs Utah operations for @SenMikeLee. He’ll leave that job for other work and run to lead Utah’s Republicans.

He says @BasedMikeLee is supportive@kslnewsradio #utpol

— Lindsay Aerts (@LindsayOnAir) March 16, 2023

Axson left it to the eleventh hour of the filing deadline to let everyone know he is throwing his hat in the ring for the top job of the Utah Republican Party. This comes after the current party chairman Carson Jorgensen decided he won’t run for re-election after serving for only one term.

“I’m committed to try to continue to fight for the Republican Party,” Axson says. “I’ve made that known to the current party leadership by filing.”

Axson’s decision means he will be running against Mike Bird, the current GOP party treasurer, who has already been campaigning with delegates. 

Axson’s name was rumored for a little while, but now he says he feels ready for the role.

“Frankly, I feel prepared and in a unique position based on the last 15-plus years of experience of winning elections and fighting for the Republican Party,” he says.

Along with this, Axson says he wasn’t prepared to go for the position until he and his family was ready.

The new chair will be elected at the party’s state organizing convention slated for April 22, 2023 at Utah Valley University.

Devin Oldroyd contributed to this story.

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