Utah's Primary Battles: Who’s Really Calling the Shots?

Utah’s upcoming primary elections are shaping up to be a high-stakes showdown, with incumbents facing tough challenges and outside money flooding races. In one of the most watched contests, Utah Senate President Stuart Adams—a longtime political figure—now finds himself in an unexpectedly close race. His opponents, both lawyers, are focusing more on criticizing Adams’ involvement in the Stratos data center project rather than highlighting their own strengths. If Adams loses, it may say less about his rivals and more about growing frustration with incumbents. In another tight race, Utah House District 16 sees incumbent Rep. Trevor Lee defending his seat against Davis County Commissioner Bob Stevenson, who brings strong name recognition to the table. Lee has weathered tough primaries before, but recent allegations of business misconduct have added a new layer of tension. Meanwhile, in Salt Lake County’s Senate District 18, Sen. Dan McCay, known for his tax expertise, faces off against businessman Doug Fiefia, who’s made a name for himself by challenging tech giants.

Labor unions are also flexing their muscles in House District 44, where Rep. Jordan Teuscher’s sponsorship of a controversial bill drew their ire. Even after unions and lawmakers reached a deal to keep the issue off the ballot, they still backed challenger Scott Stephenson to test their power against incumbents. This race could signal whether unions can shift the balance in future elections. Outside spending is reaching record levels this year, with special-interest groups pouring millions into races. In Utah’s 1st Congressional District, candidate Ben McAdams enjoys significant financial support, while others struggle to keep up. Adams, meanwhile, is under fire from both far-right and far-left groups, showing how polarized the state’s politics have become. AI is also playing a bigger role than ever. Some candidates are using it to create campaign materials, while others face AI-generated attack ads. Despite concerns, negative campaigning isn’t new—it’s just getting faster and cheaper. Next year, lawmakers may step in to regulate how AI is used in politics.

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