Former Rep. Ben McAdams has won the Democratic Party primary in Utah's 1st Congressional District, securing his party's nomination to return to Congress. He defeated three progressive challengers in Tuesday's primary.
McAdams, who previously served one term from 2019 to 2021, is now heavily favored to win the general election in the Salt Lake City-based district, which has been reconfigured to lean Democratic. This outcome is notable in Utah, a state that has historically favored Republican candidates.
The creation of a reliably Democratic seat in Utah stems from a 2018 constitutional amendment banning partisan gerrymandering. A subsequent court ruling in 2025 found that a map drawn by Utah Republicans in 2021 violated this amendment by creating four districts that favored the GOP and failed to establish a Democratic-leaning district centered on Salt Lake City. The courts then imposed a new map that includes a district President Kamala Harris would have carried by 24 percentage points.
The existence of this new, safe Democratic seat became a central theme in the primary. McAdams' opponents, state Sen. Nate Blouin and former tech worker Liban Mohamed, argued that he was too conservative for the district. They pointed to his voting record during his previous term, which they characterized as the most conservative among House Democrats. McAdams defended his approach, describing himself as a "pragmatist" focused on "getting things done."
Campaign funding also emerged as a point of contention. McAdams faced criticism for receiving substantial support from a super PAC funded by artificial intelligence companies. He also led his rivals in traditional fundraising. His financial advantage, combined with his prior congressional experience and the division of the progressive vote among multiple candidates, contributed to his primary victory.
McAdams will face Republican Riley Owen and Libertarian Jesse West in the general election in November.