With marriage equality legalized in three states and a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage defeated, queer rights advocates around the nation are celebrating this year’s election results. Locally, there were many queer allies elected, including Democrat Ben McAdams, who will be the next Salt Lake County Mayor.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson narrowly defeated Mia Love in Utah’s 4th Congressional District. Matheson beat Love 49.34 to 48.06 percent, a 2,818 vote difference. Love refused to answer questions about her stances on queer rights, although she did voice support for re-instating the military’s ban on gay and lesbian service members.
Equality Utah, the state’s leading queer rights organization, endorsed 44 candidates and 20 of the contested candidates won, while 21 lost. Three of the races were uncontested, bringing the success rate to 49 percent.
Brandie Balken, executive director of Equality Utah, hailed the election as a success and said McAdams’ victory was particularly encouraging.
“We have some great reasons to be excited and optimistic about the upcoming legislative session,” she said. “I think nondiscrimination is becoming much less of a partisan issue. All signs point to a very positive outcome next year.”
The following is a list of Equality Utah’s endorsed candidates and the results of the races:
U.S. Senate
Scott Howell (D): Loss, 65 to 30 percent
U.S. House
Soren Simonsen (D), U.S. Congress, District 3: Loss, 76 to 23 percent
Jay Seegmiller (D), U.S. Congress, District 2: Loss, 62 to 33 percent
Utah State House of Representatives
Angela Romero (D), District 26, Salt Lake City: Win, 65 to 28 percent
Brian King (D), District 28, Salt Lake City: Win, 67 to 32 percent
Carol Spackman Moss (D), District 37, Salt Lake City: Win, 52 to 47 percent
Jen Seelig (D), District 23, Salt Lake City: Win, 68 to 31 percent
Joel Briscoe (D), District 25, Salt Lake City: Win, 89 to 18 percent
Larry Wiley (D), District 31, West Valley City: Win, 51 to 48 percent
Lynn Hemingway (D), District 40, Salt Lake City: Win, 69 to 39 percent
Marie Poulson(D), District 46, Cottonwood Heights: Win, 54 to 45 percent
Mark Wheatley (D), District 35, Murray: Win, 53 to 39 percent
Patrice Arent (D), District 36, Salt Lake City: Win, 60 to 39 percent
Rebecca Chavez-Houck (D), District 24, Salt Lake City: Win, 70 to 29 percent
Tim Cosgrove (D), District 44, Murray: Win, 56 to 41 percent
Jeff Bell (D), District 43, West Jordan: Loss, 40 to 59 percent
Kenny Barlow (Libertarian), District 59, Orem: Loss, 7 to 85 percent
Liz Muniz (D), District 33, West Valley City: Loss, 48 to 51 percent
Neil Hansen (D), District 9, Ogden: Loss, 39 to 60 percent
Pam Udy (D), District 11, South Weber: Loss, 68 to 31 percent
Barbara Eubanks (D), District 39, Taylorsville: Loss, 39 to 60 percent
Benjamin Pales (D), District 12, Roy: Loss, 27 to 72 percent
Brent Holloway (D), District 62, Washington County: Loss, 26 to 73 percent
Celina Milner (D), District 34, Taylorsville: Loss, 47 to 52 percent
Daniel Paget (D), District 52, South Jordan: Loss, 72 to 22 percent
Heidi Bitton (D), District 29, West Valley City: Loss, 79 to 20 percent
Tom Nedreberg (D), District 68, Tooele: Loss, 18 to 74 percent
Utah State Senate
Luz Robles (D), District 1, Salt Lake City: Win, 55 to 42 percent
John Rendell (D), District 6, West Jordan: Loss, 39 to 68 percent
Josie Valdez (D), District 8, Midvale: Loss, 43 to 56 percent
Peter Clemens (D), District 19, Ogden: Loss, 33 to 60 percent
Municipal
Ben McAdams (D), Salt Lake County Mayor: Win, 55 to 45 percent
Jim Bradley (D), Salt Lake County Council at Large C: Win, 55 to 45 percent
Roger Armstrong (D), Summit County Council A: Win, 50 to 49 percent
Chris White (D), Washington County Commissioner: Loss, 24 to 75 percent
Paul Recanzone (D), Salt Lake County Council 5: Loss, 38 to 61 percent
School Board
Barbara T. Beckstrom, Washington County District 1: Win, 62 to 37 percent
Heather Bennett, Salt Lake City District 5: Win, 79 to 20 percent
Michael Clara, Salt Lake City District 2: Win, 62 to 37 percent
Tania Knauer, Park City School District 3: Win, 52 to 47 percent
Amanda Thorderson, Salt Lake City: Loss, 49 to 50 percent
Moe Huckey, Park City District 1: Win, ran unopposed
Kristi Swett, Salt Lake City District 7: Win, ran unopposed
Nancy Joy Garrison, Park City School District 2: Win, ran unopposed
