Utah’s 3rd District Primary: A Rare Race Where Trump’s Shadow is Dim
By [Your News Organization]
In a political landscape where fealty to Donald Trump often dictates the outcome, the Republican primary for Utah’s 3rd Congressional District presents a unique dynamic. Incumbent Rep. Celeste Maloy and challenger Phil Lyman are both staunch conservatives who support the former president. Yet, neither candidate makes frequent mention of Trump on the campaign trail, focusing instead on local issues, their own accomplishments, or their opponent’s record.
"There's many Republican voters in Utah who have sort of made their peace with Donald Trump enough to vote for him. But that doesn't mean they necessarily support either his style of politics or some of the policies that he pursues."
— Chris Karpowitz, BYU political science professor
This ambivalence reflects a broader statewide trend. While Utah remains a solidly Republican state, it has shown consistent coolness toward the GOP standard-bearer. Trump’s approval among Utahns hit just 44% in April 2025, a 10-point drop among Republicans in the state.
A Battle of Contrasting Styles
The candidates represent two distinct wings of the party, though both fly the Trump banner.
- Rep. Celeste Maloy, the incumbent, won a 2023 special election. She lost the 2024 nominating convention but narrowly survived the primary by ~200 votes.
- Phil Lyman, a former state representative, is best known for leading an illegal ATV protest (for which Trump pardoned him in his first term).
Trump endorsed Maloy again on Truth Social, but analysts suggest the endorsement may carry less weight in Utah than in other states.
"They're not running as Trump Republicans. They're running as Republicans who happened to have had support from Trump in the past."
— Damon Cann, Utah State University professor
The Stakes: A National vs. Local Vision
Lyman has framed the primary as a fight against institutional power, warning: "What is at stake here is are we going to go down a collectivist technocratic, centralized power model, or are we going to retain an American independent individual autonomy."
Background Context
The 3rd District, one of the reddest in the nation, covers vast rural areas, national parks, and suburbs of Salt Lake City. Utah last voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in 1964, yet Trump received under 50% in 2016 and under 60% in both 2020 and 2024—an anomaly for a state so deeply conservative.
With the primary approaching, the race offers a rare test: can a Trump endorsement sway Utah voters as it does elsewhere? Or will local factors and personal records carry the day?