Staff Reports
Utah and Rhode Island voters are gearing up for some exciting primary elections this Tuesday. In Utah’s 2nd Congressional District, Republicans will have to choose from three candidates who will showcase just how loyal they are to former President Donald Trump. It’s a battle that will determine the weight of an allegiance to Trump in this conservative state. Meanwhile, GOP voters in Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District are facing an even tougher challenge. With over a dozen Democrats in the race, their chances of winning have historically been slim. In fact, the district hasn’t seen a Republican representative in thirty years. It’s definitely an uphill battle for the GOP contenders.
Utah and Rhode Island voters will set out for the polls on Tuesday for special election primary voting.
Both states are set to hold competitive races in November’s general elections.https://t.co/ko4eiN9JmS
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) September 5, 2023
Let’s start with the race in Utah. Celeste Maloy, a former congressional staffer, seems to have an advantage as she won the GOP’s convention nomination and even received an endorsement from the current congressman she hopes to replace, Rep. Chris Stewart. Stewart had high praise for Maloy, describing her as a strong conservative woman with “Utah values” who is ready to serve on day one. Then there’s Bruce Hough, a committeeman for the Republican National Committee, who touts his business background as a co-founder of a nutritional supplements company. He believes he’s the best candidate to bring fiscal accountability to Washington. Lastly, we have former state Rep. Becky Edwards, who has served on Utah’s Capitol Hill for over a decade.
Although she lost a previous GOP primary election to Sen. Mike Lee in 2022, she’s back in the race and ready to prove herself. The interesting dynamic in this race is the varying stances on Trump. Maloy and Hough have openly criticized the indictments of the former president, while Edwards has positioned herself as an anti-Trump option, actively encouraging women to vote against him. According to a recent poll, nearly half of GOP voters in this district are still undecided, but Edwards currently leads with 32% of support.
Now let’s shift our focus to Rhode Island. Here, Republicans face an even tougher challenge with the district being historically blue and having a small Republican voter base. Despite these odds, two Republican candidates – Terri Flynn and retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Gerry Leonard – have entered the race. The Rhode Island Republican Party has endorsed Leonard, who is a political newcomer but brings over 30 years of experience in the U.S. Marine Corps to the table. He strongly believes that “Bidenomics” is not working and has been careful about expressing his stance on Trump’s potential reelection, stating that he believes no one is above the law in the United States.
On the other hand, Flynn describes herself as a “citizen candidate” and thinks that the economy is the nation’s biggest problem. She believes the tax code needs a major overhaul and points to the effects of inflation and government spending as evidence. Unfortunately, Republicans in this district have an uphill battle ahead of them, with several prominent Democrats in the running, including Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, former state Rep. Aaron Regunberg, former White House aide Gabe Amo, and state Sen. Sandra Cano. Regunberg currently leads the pack with 28% support, according to recent polls.
These primary elections in Utah and Rhode Island are just a taste of what’s to come in November. Both races are set to be highly competitive in the general elections, and Republicans will definitely have their work cut out for them. Will the voters in these conservative districts prioritize loyalty to Trump, or will they be swayed by other factors? It’s a suspenseful wait as we watch the campaigns unfold, but one thing is for sure – the Republican candidates will have to fight hard to secure their spots in Congress.
