Campaign Finance Money Flowing in Utah as 2024 Election Heats Up
The race for Utah’s open U.S. Senate seat is heating up as tens of millions of dollars in campaign finance money flow into the state. With outgoing Senator Mitt Romney leaving the seat up for grabs, seven candidates have reported over $13 million in campaign financing so far.
Candidates in hotly contested races are raising and spending big ahead of the Saturday nominating convention, a crucial milestone before the June primary. Several candidates, especially in the contentious race for Romney’s seat, have loaned themselves significant amounts of cash, with some candidates loaning themselves millions of dollars.
State delegates for both the Utah Republican and Democratic parties will determine the fate of these candidates on Saturday, unless they have gathered enough signatures to secure their place in the June primary. While money isn’t always the best indicator of a candidate’s success, having campaign cash on hand can certainly make a difference. It also provides insight into the type of supporters and interest groups candidates attract.
Here’s an overview of how much candidates have raised and spent in their 2024 bids, according to the latest FEC filings, OpenSecrets.org, FollowTheMoney.org, and campaign finance filings posted on the state’s financial disclosure website.
In the U.S. Senate race for Republicans, former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson leads the pack with nearly $4.8 million raised, including $2.8 million in loans to himself. Other notable candidates include Utah Rep. John Curtis, Jason Walton, Brent Orrin Hatch, Trent Staggs, and Carolyn Phippen.
On the Democratic side, Caroline Gleich has raised $389,534, with contributions from small individual donors and PACs. Other Democratic candidates Laird-Fetzer Hamblin and Archie Williams III have not reported any campaign contributions.
In the race for Utah governor, incumbent Gov. Spencer Cox has raised over $4.2 million over the past four years, with significant contributions from donors in the finance, insurance, and real estate sectors. Other candidates include Rep. Phil Lyman, Carson Jorgensen, Sylvia Fisk, Scott Robbins, Brian King, Robert Latham, Tom Tomeny, and Tommy Williams.
The campaign finance numbers also reveal the fundraising efforts of candidates in Congressional Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4. Incumbents and challengers alike are vying for support and financial backing as they compete for their respective seats.
As the 2024 election season ramps up, the influx of campaign finance money in Utah underscores the high stakes and intense competition among candidates vying for political office. Stay tuned for more updates on the evolving landscape of Utah’s political scene.