How a Utah House Race Became a ‘Proxy War’ for 2028

In Utah’s solidly blue seat, progressives are fighting hard to not send Ben McAdams back to Congress.

Ben McAdams

Former Rep. Ben McAdams Hannah Schoenbaum/AP

A fight over the future of the Democratic Party is currently playing out in Utah. Yes, Utah.

Eight years ago, Ben McAdams ascended to the House, taking the most conservative-leaning district won by a Democrat that cycle. He lost his seat in 2020 after voting to impeach President Donald Trump. Now, he’s back, running for the House again, in a newly drawn, solidly Democratic district.

This time, McAdams is facing a challenger from his left, and some in the district say he’s too conservative for the Democratic Party — even in a state as reliably red on the national stage as Utah.