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Utah County Republican Party · 2026 Primary

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Before you cast your Primary ballot

Republican delegates elected by your neighbors spent 5 weeks vetting these candidates in preparation for the 2026 Convention. 86% of delegates reported feeling more informed than they did as regular voters in past elections.

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See what your delegates found out

Republicans elect their delegates every two years at neighborhood precinct caucus meetings. Each delegate represents the Republicans on their street and the streets nearby. Neighbors select delegates from among themselves who will devote volunteer time to meet and thoroughly vet candidates. Because each neighborhood elects its own delegates, every kind of Republican in Utah County can have someone speaking for them at convention. And delegates get something most voters don’t: real time with the candidates, meeting them one-on-one, going to debates, asking the questions that matter. That’s a lot more to go on than a TV ad.

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What is a nominee?

A Republican nominee is the candidate the delegates elect to represent the party in the general election. If one candidate earns broad enough support at the April convention, they become the sole Republican nominee. If support is split, the top two finalists both advance to a June primary where all registered Republicans cast a vote. A candidate can also reach the primary ballot by gathering signatures, a separate path that bypasses the delegate vetting process.
Convention is a multi-round process. The aim is not to crown the candidate with the highest number of votes in the first round. The purpose of convention is to find the coalition candidate: the person who can earn support across the diverse groups within Utah County’s Republicans over multiple rounds of voting.Delegates vote round by round. After each round, the lowest-finishing candidates are eliminated and the field narrows. In some rounds the convention applies roll-up rules to eliminate more than one candidate at once when the math allows it. Voting continues until one candidate clears 60% or only two finalists remain. History shows that sometimes the best candidate for everyone was not the first choice for many.A candidate who clears 60% becomes the sole Republican nominee on the ballot and faces no contested primary. If no one clears 60%, the two finalists both advance to a primary so all registered Republicans cast the final vote.A separate path created by SB54 in 2014 lets candidates qualify for the primary ballot by gathering signatures. This path bypasses the delegate nomination process. A candidate who pursues only the convention path advances only if delegates rank them in the top two or hand them an outright nomination. A candidate who pursues both paths advances to the primary regardless of how delegates vote at convention. For each race below, candidates are labeled either Convention only or Convention and signature so you can see which path each one took.
Each race below shows the convention outcome and what delegates said about the nominees they vetted. All information on this page has been summarized from the UCRP post-convention delegate survey.
Want to understand more about the process? See what first-time delegates said about being a delegate.
Section 1

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Contested Primaries

The June 23 Republican primary ballot has more than one candidate in each of these races. Use the convention findings below to inform your vote.

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County Commission Seat A

1 Convention Nominee
Brent Bowles cleared the 60% coalition threshold with 64.69% of the final-round vote. He is the sole Republican convention nominee. Michelle Kaufusi finished with 35.32% at convention and qualified for the primary ballot through the SB54 signature path.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Brent Bowles
64.69%
convention support
◆ CONVENTION AND SIGNATURE
Michelle Kaufusi
Eliminated at convention; qualified for primary via signature gathering
35.32%
convention support
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
Brent Bowles64.69%
Nominated · cleared 60% threshold
Michelle Kaufusi35.32%
Reasons cited in his favor:
  • Non-career-politician background, with multiple supporters describing him as a private citizen pursuing the role rather than as a step in a political career.
  • Constitutional and limited-government framing, repeatedly cited in connection with specific positions on county growth, water, taxes, infrastructure, and unchecked data centers.
  • Specific fiscal commitments: not raising the property tax rate, reducing the commissioner salary, and cutting the bloat of the commission office.
  • His proposal to expand the County Commission from three seats to five was cited by multiple supporters as a structural reform that would give underserved areas like Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain better representation.
  • His convention-only path to the ballot was named directly by multiple supporters as a reason to support him, in contrast to candidates who pursued signatures.

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County Commission Seat B

2 Convention Finalists
Neither David Spencer nor Carolina Herrin cleared the 60% coalition threshold. Spencer finished with 52.05% in the final round; Herrin with 47.95%. Both advance to the primary as convention finalists. Isaac Paxman qualified for the primary ballot through the SB54 signature path.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
David Spencer
52.05%
convention support
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Carolina Herrin
47.95%
convention support
◆ CONVENTION AND SIGNATURE
Isaac Paxman
Eliminated in earlier convention round; qualified for primary via signature gathering
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
David Spencer52.05%
Carolina Herrin47.95%
Isaac Paxman was eliminated in an earlier round of voting and does not appear in the final-round count. He pursued the SB54 signature path as a parallel route to the primary ballot.
Reasons cited in his favor:
  • Twelve years on Orem City Council, repeatedly cited as the most directly relevant executive experience for the commission role.
  • Track record on growth and density: multiple supporters cited his work cutting a proposed 350-unit high-density housing project to 75 single-family homes as evidence of holding the line.
  • Fiscal discipline in office and stated commitments going forward: the Orem city hall was built without new taxes or debt during his tenure, and he committed to not raising the tax rate, reducing the commissioner salary, and reviewing budget inefficiencies.
  • Alignment with Bowles on the proposal to expand the County Commission from three seats to five.
  • His convention-only path to the ballot was named directly by multiple supporters as a reason to support him.
Reasons cited in her favor:
  • Geographic representation: cited as a candidate from outside Orem and Provo, the first time several delegates said the south end of the county would have a voice on the commission.
  • Endorsements from precinct chairs and elected officials cited by multiple supporters as a primary reason for their vote.
  • Public-safety posture: support for the Sheriff and law enforcement was named directly by several supporters.
  • Conservative principles in alignment with the party platform, with specific concerns about TIFs, PIDs, and quasi-governmental entities.
  • Strong debate performance and personal interaction quality cited across multiple supporters.

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County Clerk

2 Convention Finalists
Neither Aaron Davidson nor Corey Astill cleared the 60% coalition threshold. Davidson finished with 58.63%; Astill with 41.36%. Both advance to the primary as convention finalists. Astill also gathered signatures during the campaign and held the SB54 signature path as a parallel route to the ballot.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Aaron Davidson
Incumbent County Clerk
58.63%
convention support
● CONVENTION AND SIGNATURE
Corey Astill
Convention finalist but also qualified via signature path
41.36%
convention support
CONVENTION VOTE
Aaron Davidson58.63%
Corey Astill41.36%
Reasons cited in his favor:
  • Election integrity work, with multiple supporters naming his advocacy for Cast Vote Records, Fast Cast voting, and voter-ID verification with the legislature.
  • His convention-only path to the ballot was named directly by many supporters as a reason to support him.
  • Direct engagement with delegates: multiple delegates reported personal phone conversations and substantive answers to hard questions during the vetting process.
  • Track record on transparency improvements and a stated willingness to acknowledge and correct past mistakes in office.
  • Calm, professional bearing during the debates and town halls, cited as a contrast with his opponent’s posture by several supporters.
Reasons cited in his favor:
  • Focus on the clerk’s office’s administrative responsibilities rather than on broader political advocacy, named by many supporters as the single largest reason for their support.
  • Pragmatic posture on mail-in voting and election security, with several supporters citing his view that widespread voter fraud is not supported by evidence they had reviewed.
  • Private-sector background and accessibility: multiple supporters described him as available to meet, listen, and answer detailed questions during the vetting process.
  • A new-energy alternative for delegates who wanted change from the current direction of the clerk’s office.

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State Senate District 18

2 Convention Finalists
Neither Doug Fiefia nor Daniel McCay cleared the 60% coalition threshold at the convention’s final round. Fiefia finished with approximately 59%, McCay with approximately 41%. Both advance to the primary ballot as convention finalists.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Doug Fiefia
59%
convention support
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Daniel McCay
41%
convention support
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
Doug Fiefia59%
Daniel McCay41%
State Senate District 18 falls primarily outside Utah County (mostly in Salt Lake County). The Utah County delegate survey returned limited responses on this race.

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State Senate District 21

1 Convention Nominee
Brady Brammer cleared the 60% coalition threshold with 68.22% of the final-round vote. He is the sole Republican convention nominee. Kelly Smith finished with 31.78% at convention and qualified for the primary ballot through the SB54 signature path.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Brady Brammer
Incumbent State Senator, District 21
68.22%
convention support
◆ CONVENTION AND SIGNATURE
Kelly Smith
Eliminated at convention; qualified for primary via signature gathering
31.78%
convention support
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
Brady Brammer68.22%
Nominated · cleared 60% threshold
Kelly Smith31.78%
Reasons cited in his favor:
  • Specific legislative work, with several supporters naming his judicial-reform efforts.
  • Conservative voting record, with multiple supporters describing him as among the most conservative voters in the state Senate; Americans for Prosperity’s endorsement was named directly by several delegates.
  • Legal background as a practicing attorney with experience working with judges, cited by supporters as directly relevant to his judicial-process and court-reform work.
  • Accessibility during his current term: multiple delegates reported he had personally returned phone calls or replied to messages, including from delegates who disagreed with him on a vote.
  • Effectiveness and consistency in office, often described in terms of how he explains and defends his votes.
  • His convention-only path to the ballot was named directly by multiple supporters as a reason to support him.

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State School Board District 11

1 Convention Nominee
Terry Hutchinson cleared the 60% coalition threshold with 63.8% of the final-round vote and is the sole Republican convention nominee. Tracy Nuttall finished with 36.2% at convention and qualified for the primary ballot through the SB54 signature path.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Terry Hutchinson
63.8%
convention support
◆ CONVENTION AND SIGNATURE
Tracy Nuttall
Eliminated at convention; qualified for primary via signature gathering
36.2%
convention support
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
Terry Hutchinson63.8%
Nominated · cleared 60% threshold
Tracy Nuttall36.2%
Reasons cited in his favor:
  • Track record on a local school board in Washington County, with multiple supporters citing specific results during his prior service.
  • Stated commitment to the UCRP platform: he signed the accountability commitment that supporters described as a meaningful alignment with party positions.
  • Public record on parental rights and content questions in school libraries, named by many supporters as a defining position.
  • Conservative principles in alignment with the party platform, described by multiple supporters as the primary reason for their support.
  • Convention-only path to the ballot was named directly by multiple supporters as a reason to support him.

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State School Board District 14

2 Convention Finalists
Neither Linda Hanks nor Nichole Isom cleared the 60% coalition threshold at the convention’s final round. Hanks finished with 51.8%, Isom with 48.2%. Both advance to the primary ballot as convention finalists.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Linda Hanks
51.8%
convention support
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Nichole Isom
48.2%
convention support
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
Linda Hanks51.8%
Nichole Isom48.2%
  • Stated experience and principles named by supporters as relevant for the role.
  • Strong debate performance, with supporters citing her knowledge of issues facing students and families.
  • Varied background across multiple types of schooling, named by several supporters as relevant context for the role.
  • Stated conservative positions and willingness to take clear positions on policy questions.
  • Supporters described her as more specific on policy and more willing to be candid in delegate meetings than her opponent.

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US House CD-3

2 Convention Finalists
Neither Celeste Maloy nor Phil Lyman cleared the 60% coalition threshold at the convention’s final round. Maloy finished with 50.9%, Lyman with 49.1%. Both advance to the primary ballot as convention finalists. Utah’s congressional districts were redrawn for the 2026 cycle. Maloy is the sitting incumbent of CD-2 under the prior map, now running for the redrawn CD-3 seat.
● CONVENTION AND SIGNATURE
Celeste Maloy
Convention finalist but also qualified via signature path
50.9%
convention support
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Phil Lyman
49.1%
convention support
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
Celeste Maloy50.9%
Phil Lyman49.1%
Phil Lyman originally filed to gather signatures for the primary ballot, but did not collect enough to qualify through that path.
Reasons cited in her favor:
  • Voting record in Congress, with multiple supporters citing her A+ rating from the Susan B. Anthony List for pro-life legislation and her legislative accomplishments to date.
  • Endorsements named directly by multiple supporters: Donald Trump, Burgess Owens, and other state Republican leadership.
  • Effectiveness in obtaining committee positions and getting results, with several supporters describing her as quietly productive rather than performative.
  • Service to rural districts within CD-3, cited specifically by delegates who had spoken with her about rural-community concerns.
  • Cross-aisle relationships and electability with moderates and younger voters, described as a structural advantage for holding the seat.
  • Multiple supporters describe her as reasonable and respectful in delegate interactions.
Reasons cited in his favor:
  • Independence from outside funding and lobbyists, named directly by multiple supporters as the primary reason for their support.
  • Constitutional and conservative principles, described by supporters as consistent and unwavering under pressure.
  • Willingness to pursue accountability questions on state-level governance, cited as a structural reason to support him.
  • Private-sector business background and experience running a business, cited as relevant context for federal-spending decisions.
  • Convention-only path to the ballot, named directly by multiple supporters as a reason to support him.
  • Focus on election integrity, repeatedly named as a stated legislative priority.
Want to understand more about the process? See what first-time delegates said about being a delegate.
Section 2

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Advanced to General Election

These races were decided at convention. Either one candidate cleared the 60% coalition threshold and no signature challenger qualified, or no other candidate filed at all. The nominees below advance directly to the November general election with no contested Republican primary.

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County Auditor

1 Convention Nominee
Gina Tanner cleared the 60% coalition threshold with 68.52% of the final-round vote and is the sole Republican convention nominee. No challenger qualified through the SB54 signature path. She is the only Republican on the June 23 primary ballot and faces no contested primary.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Gina Tanner
68.52%
convention support
● CONVENTION ONLY · ELIMINATED
Travis Hoban
31.48%
convention support · did not pursue signatures
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
Gina Tanner68.52%
Nominated · cleared 60% threshold
Travis Hoban31.48%
Reasons cited in her favor:
  • Direct experience in the office she is seeking, currently serving as Budget Manager in the Auditor’s office, named by many supporters as the most directly relevant background.
  • Accounting credentials and subject-matter expertise, including a master’s in accounting and on-track certification as a public auditor.
  • Support from colleagues and other county officials, with multiple delegates reporting that the staff who already work in the office spoke favorably of her.
  • Strong debate and personal-interaction performance, repeatedly described as calm and composed under criticism.
  • Civility during the campaign, repeatedly cited by supporters as a defining trait.
  • A clear understanding of the office’s current audit issues and a stated plan to address them, including teaching teams how to improve unfavorable audit outcomes.

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State House

Three Utah County State House districts had contested races at the April convention. Each was decided by a decisive convention vote. Each nominee cleared the 60% coalition threshold and is the sole Republican on the primary ballot for their district, so no primary contest is held in these districts.

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HD52

1 Convention Nominee
Cory Maloy cleared the 60% coalition threshold with 86.6% of the final-round vote and is the sole Republican convention nominee. He is the only Republican on the June 23 primary ballot and faces no contested primary.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Cory Maloy
86.6%
convention support
● CONVENTION ONLY · ELIMINATED
Charlie Tautuaa
13.4%
convention support · did not pursue signatures
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
Cory Maloy86.6%
Nominated · cleared 60% threshold
Charlie Tautuaa13.4%

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HD62

1 Convention Nominee
Norm Thurston cleared the 60% coalition threshold with 87.1% of the final-round vote and is the sole Republican convention nominee. He is the only Republican on the June 23 primary ballot and faces no contested primary.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Norm Thurston
87.1%
convention support
● CONVENTION ONLY · ELIMINATED
Jonah Johnson
12.9%
convention support · did not pursue signatures
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
Norm Thurston87.1%
Nominated · cleared 60% threshold
Jonah Johnson12.9%

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HD64

1 Convention Nominee
Jackie Larson cleared the 60% coalition threshold with 62.5% of the final-round vote and is the sole Republican convention nominee. She is the only Republican on the June 23 primary ballot and faces no contested primary.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Jackie Larson
62.5%
convention support
● CONVENTION ONLY · ELIMINATED
Matthew Durrant
37.5%
convention support · did not pursue signatures
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
Jackie Larson62.5%
Nominated · cleared 60% threshold
Matthew Durrant37.5%

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US House CD-4

1 Convention Nominee
Mike Kennedy cleared the 60% coalition threshold with 78.7% of the final-round vote and is the sole Republican convention nominee. No challenger qualified through the SB54 signature path. He is the only Republican on the June 23 primary ballot and faces no contested primary in CD-4.
● CONVENTION ONLY CANDIDATE
Mike Kennedy
Incumbent US Representative
78.7%
convention support
● CONVENTION ONLY · ELIMINATED
Multiple challengers
21.3%
combined convention support · none pursued signatures
FINAL-ROUND CONVENTION VOTE
Mike Kennedy78.7%
Nominated · cleared 60% threshold
Scott Hatfield11.0%
Seth Stewart5.2%
Isaiah Hardman3.8%
Tyrone Jensen1.4%
Reasons cited in his favor:
  • Voting record in Congress, repeatedly cited as conservative and consistent with party priorities.
  • Accessibility and direct engagement with constituents and delegates, with multiple supporters reporting personal conversations about policy.
  • Medical background, named by several supporters as relevant context for federal healthcare and funding work.
  • Track record of bipartisan legislative work, cited as evidence he can get policy through Congress.
  • Strong performance in the convention debate and Q&A, with supporters describing him as knowledgeable and concise.
  • Endorsements and personal recommendations from delegates who had known him through prior service in the Utah Legislature.

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Nominated by acclamation

The candidates listed below ran unopposed. No other Republican candidate filed against them, so there was no contested race at the April 19 convention. Delegates nominated each of them by acclamation, meaning by unanimous consent without the need for a contested floor vote.
Mike Smith · Utah County Sheriff
Jeff Gray · Utah County Attorney
Stephanie Gricius · House District 50
Leah Hansen · House District 51
Kay Christofferson · House District 53
Kristen Chevrier · House District 54
Jon Hawkins · House District 55
Val Peterson · House District 56
Nelson Abbott · House District 57
David Shallenberger · House District 58
Grant Pace · House District 60
Lisa Shepherd · House District 61
Stephen Whyte · House District 63
Doug Welton · House District 65
Want to understand more about the process? See what first-time delegates said about being a delegate.