National Democrats think they can flip two legislative districts in Utah

The Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured on Monday, May 6, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, an arm of the national party, thinks it can flip two legislative districts in Utah currently held by Republicans. 

Stacy Bernal, challenging state Sen. John Johnson, R-North Ogden, and Jake Fitisemanu, running against Republican Fred Cox for an open House seat in West Valley City, were named as Spotlight candidates by the committee on Wednesday. 

That means both candidates will have a number of resources at their disposal — they’ll have access to committee experts and will be on the radar for Democrat donors. 

Bernal and Fitisemanu are two of 180 candidates around the country vying for state office that the committee is supporting. Many are in states with slim Democratic majorities or vulnerable Republican majorities. The committee works with state Democratic caucuses to identify competitive districts and candidates that are, in their words, a good fit for the district. 

Described by the committee as a “a neurodiversity and disability rights advocate,” Bernal sits on the Ogden School Board and her current employer is the Utah Jazz, according to her candidate conflict of interest form. Fitisemanu is a West Valley City councilman and a community health advocate who currently works with Intermountain Health and teaches part time at the University of Utah, according to his conflict of interest form. 

Campaign disclosures show the committee hasn’t actually given money to either candidate, and a spokesperson told Utah News Dispatch it’s too early to see what the funding piece of the Spotlight program will look like. 

The committee cited this past legislative session as a motivation to put more Democrats in the statehouse. The party hopes to push back on bills that deal with transgender access to bathrooms, school curricula and book bans, and arming teachers, all of which passed the legislature during the general session. 

“Republicans in Utah have used their power to advance a dangerous agenda that strips fundamental freedoms from their constituents. The DLCC is proud to fight back against this Republican extremism by uplifting Stacy Bernal and Jake Fitisemanu as our Spotlight candidates in Utah. These candidates bring experience and deep ties to their communities to fuel the fight against the GOP’s MAGA takeover of the state,” said Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams in a statement. 

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