McAdams Wins Democratic Primary in New Safe Seat
Former Rep. Ben McAdams is projected to return to Congress after defeating three progressive opponents in Utah's Democratic Party primary on Tuesday. The primary was held for a newly created congressional district centered on Salt Lake City, which heavily favors Democrats.
McAdams, who served one term from 2019 to 2021, secured the nomination as his competition — state Sen. Nate Blouin, former tech worker Liban Mohamed, and attorney Mike Farrell — split the progressive vote. With the district's Democratic lean, McAdams is almost guaranteed to win the general election in November.
Rare Safe Democratic Seat in Republican Stronghold
A safe Democratic seat in Utah is a rare occurrence in this longtime Republican bastion. No Democrat has won statewide office since the 1990s, and the state has not voted for a Democrat for president since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. McAdams and former Rep. Jim Matheson are the only Democrats elected to Congress from Utah in the past 25 years.
The creation of this district stems from a 2018 constitutional amendment banning partisan gerrymandering. A lawsuit challenged the 2021 map drawn by Utah Republicans, which created four GOP-leaning districts. In 2025, state courts ruled that map violated the anti-gerrymandering amendment by denying Democrats a district centered on Salt Lake City. The courts imposed a new map with a Salt Lake City district that Kamala Harris would have won by 24 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
Primary Battle Over Ideology and Funding
The existence of a safe Democratic seat became the central issue in the primary. Blouin, endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Mohamed, who won the party convention nod, argued that McAdams was too conservative for such a district. Both attacked McAdams for having the most conservative voting record among House Democrats during his one term.
In response, McAdams characterized himself as a “pragmatist” focused “on getting things done,” according to his campaign. Campaign funding also became a flashpoint, as McAdams received millions from a super PAC funded by artificial intelligence companies. He also dominated traditional fundraising, far outpacing his rivals.
This money advantage, combined with his past congressional experience and the split progressive vote, propelled McAdams to victory. He will face Republican Riley Owen and Libertarian Jesse West in the general election.
