Maloy leading U.S. House Dist. 2 congressional race — AP projects as winner
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Early and in-person voters in the southern and western portions are supporting Celeste Maloy to be their next U.S. congresswoman, according to unofficial Election Day results provided by the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office.
While the Associated Press projected Maloy as the winner of the race at 8:36 p.m., many ballots are left to be counted.
As of 9:20 p.m. Tuesday night, preliminary results showed the following:
Celeste Maloy (R) — 57.54%
Kathleen Riebe (D) — 33.77%
Brad Green (Lib.) — 2.55%
Cassie Easley (Const.) — 2.11%
January Walker (United Utah) — 1.79%
Perry Myers (Ind.) — 1.4%
Joseph Geddes Buchanan (Ind.) — 0.84%
Utah General Election results for the Nov. 21 election (Real-Time)
The seven candidates are running in a special election to replace U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart, 63, who resigned from office earlier this year after six terms to spend more time with his ailing wife. Stewart is now serving as chairman of the Utah Aerospace and Defense Association. He and his former chief of staff, Clay White, also head D.C. lobbying firm Skyline Capitol.
Maloy has been Stewart’s hand-picked successor in the race, and she had been one of his staffers, most recently serving as the district’s chief legal counsel. Maloy won the Sept. 5 primary with 38.8% of the vote over challengers Bruce Hough and Becky Edwards. The Cedar City resident showed strong support from the southernmost counties in the district in September.
According to her bio submitted to state websites, her priorities include: “fight to secure our border, protect our religious freedoms, defend the 2nd amendment, stop out of control spending, rein in inflation, and fight the abortion agenda.”
A graduate of Southern Utah University’s School of Agriculture, she received her law degree from BYU. She began her career in public service as a soil conservationist at the USDA in Beaver, Utah. After finishing her law degree, Maloy went on to serve as a deputy county attorney in Washington County, public lands attorney for the Utah Association of Counties, and staff attorney for the Washington County Water Conservancy District.
Kathleen Riebe, who was in second place as of Tuesday night, gave the following statement on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter:
“The voters of the Second District have made their decision,” stated Riebe. “I just spoke to Representative-Elect Maloy and wished her the best. I look forward to her advocacy on behalf of our state at the national level, and the pressing issues of water, affordable housing, and sustainable growth that face all Utahns. I am so proud to have run a race funded entirely by individuals, small-dollar Utah donors, and unions. I am a teacher, a mom, a legislator, and for these last few months, a congressional candidate. At times, the challenge of all these roles was great, but I want to emphasize the importance of everyday, working people running for office. That deck can feel stacked against folks who don’t have deep pockets or powerful connections, but it is vital for our democracy and our communities that people take the time and care to participate at every level. This campaign has been the honor of my political career, and I look back on my travel, interactions with voters, and thousands of donors and supporters with fondness and a deep sense of gratitude. I am confident that the Second District’s new representative understands the need for functional government that works for the people and will advocate tirelessly to keep our country, state and democracy strong. I know I will continue my work towards building my party and restoring balance to our state.”
Kathleen Riebe, via X, 11.21.23
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