ELECTIONS, POLITICS, & GOVERNMENT
Utah 2nd Congressional District race still too close to call
Jun 26, 2024, 8:53 AM | Updated: 2:06 pm
FILE: Utah’s 2nd Congressional district debate between Colby Jenkins and Congresswoman Celeste Maloy at the KUED studios at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City in June. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Most races in Utah’s 2024 primary election have projected winners. However, the race for the 2nd Congressional District seat does not.
Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson gives us her take on the primary election results at 12:45!
The latest voting results were shared just after midnight Wednesday. Incumbent Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, holds a slight lead over challenger Colby Jenkins.
After winning last year’s special election to replace former Rep. Chris Stewart, Maloy is running for her first full term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Stewart resigned as the 2nd Congressional District representative last year.
How the results are panning out
As of Wednesday morning, Maloy has received 51.78% of the total votes in the 2nd Congressional District. Jenkins had 48.22%. Maloy had over 2,800 more votes than Jenkins, according to data on the state’s elections results website.
Maloy held a lead in 10 of the district’s 13 counties. Jenkins got more votes in Tooele, Juab and Washington Counties, helping him remain close behind Maloy.
On Tuesday night, Maloy spoke with KSL NewsRadio as the votes were being counted.
“I’m naturally cautious… but, I like the way it’s going,” Maloy said. “It looks positive. I’m going to stay positive, and I’m going to get on an airplane and go back [to Washington D.C.] and do my job. I’m going to have to keep moving forward… and keep serving the people of the 2nd District.”
As of Wednesday morning, Jenkins did not issue a statement, or post anything new on social media or his campaign website.
Maloy on endorsements
Maloy also told KSL NewsRadio that she believes candidate endorsements have played a role in the race.
Jenkins got an endorsement from Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. He even went on stage with Jenkins at this year’s GOP convention, who ended up winning the delegate vote.
Jenkins also received endorsements from former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
However, Maloy got the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, Stewart and several other state lawmakers.
When KSL NewsRadio asked Maloy how she felt about not getting Lee’s endorsement, she said: “At some point, Senator Lee and I are going to have a conversation about that, but… I’m not making this any worse than it already is. I can’t control what Mike Lee does, but I can control what I do.”
Tune in to KSL NewsRadio for live updates on this race and the other major GOP primary races.
