Two New Congressional Candidates Emerge in Utah

Riley Owen and Kent Udell launch bids for Utah's 1st and 3rd districts ahead of 2026 midterms

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Two new candidates, Riley Owen and Kent Udell, have announced their campaigns for Utah's congressional seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Owen, a 27-year-old Republican, is running for the 1st District, while Udell, a former engineering professor, is running as a Democrat for the 3rd District.

Why it matters

With Utah's congressional map still in flux, these new candidates are vying for seats in a state that has traditionally leaned Republican. Their campaigns and policy platforms could shape the political landscape in Utah for years to come.

The details

Riley Owen, a Salt Lake City resident, is running on the Republican ticket for Utah's 1st District. His priorities include zoning reforms, removing phones from classrooms, banning congressional stock trading, and enacting term limits. Meanwhile, Kent Udell, a former UC Berkeley and University of Utah professor, is running as a Democrat for the 3rd District. Udell, a Moab resident, cites concerns about corruption and a lack of truth in politics as motivations for his campaign.

  • Riley Owen announced his campaign on Friday, February 20, 2026.
  • Kent Udell announced his campaign in February 2026.

The players

Riley Owen

A 27-year-old Republican running for Utah's 1st Congressional District. He is a resident of Salt Lake City and has worked as a White House policy analyst and serves in the Navy Reserve.

Kent Udell

A former engineering professor at UC Berkeley and the University of Utah, Udell is running as a Democrat for Utah's 3rd Congressional District. He is a resident of Moab.

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What they’re saying

“I believe in the American dream, but I do think it's dwindling right now. And there are a lot of Americans trying to buy a home, trying to raise families, and they're losing trust in institutions and hope in politics, because there's all this anger and rage bait going on.”

— Riley Owen (Deseret News)

“The corruption of big money in politics, the corruption of the political system itself, the corruption of some people being above the law ... it's hurting us, and it's hurting the country.”

— Kent Udell (Deseret News)

The takeaway

With new candidates emerging in Utah's congressional races, the state's political landscape could see significant shifts in the coming years. These campaigns will likely focus on key issues like political corruption, economic concerns, and the role of government, shaping the debate in a traditionally Republican-leaning state.