“Republican Maloy Claims Spectacular Victory in Utah’s 2nd District!

In a special election, the Republican Phil Maloy won the House seat in Utah’s 2nd District. This election happened on Tuesday and the results were announced late Wednesday. Maloy took in 57% of the votes while his Democratic Fairbanks counterpart, Kael Weston, had 43%. This is a notable win for the Republicans as it marks a shift in the traditionally Democratic district. This is the first time in 11 years the Republicans have held the seat in this district. Speaking to reporters after his victory, Maloy said he was humbled to have won the election and that he was looking forward to representing the people of Utah’s 2nd District. “I will bring my best to work for everyone,” he said. This was a special election, called after the former Rep. Chris Stewart (R) resigned in December to take up a role in the Biden administration. In the months leading up to the election Phil Maloy tried to present himself centrist and appealed to independents and even some Democrats. He had been praised previously for his speaking skills and his ability to reach beyond his own party. On the other hand, Kael Weston had a different strategy. He was running an unapologetically progressive campaign in one of the most Republican-leaning districts in the state. In spite of this, he was able to get 43% of the vote. With Phil Maloy’s victory, the Republicans have re-taken a seat they lost in 2010. It will be interesting to see how this new Republican representative will fare in this traditionally Democratic district. Only time will tell.