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Candidates › UT-01 race › 2025–2026
Ben McAdams
D Democratic nominee for U.S. House, UT-01
Served in Congress 2019–2021
Other accounts (3)
The same platforms’ other accounts, such as a congressional office’s or an earlier campaign’s.
- On the ballot
- On the general election ballotNov 3, 2026 · Utah US House 1
- Top priorities
- Protecting the Environment
- Lowering Costs and Building Economic Security for Working Families
- Defending Democracy, the Rule of Law, and the Will of the Voters
- Defending Human Rights and Opportunity for Every Utahn
- In Congress
- Served in Congress 2019–2021. See the record
- Money
- $2.8M raised, $2.5M spent, $377.8K cash on hand (through Oct 14, 2026). Where it comes from
- Who gives
- 13% of individual money from donors at $200 or less · 76% from Utah · largest committee giver NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE, $15K
- Outside groups
- $2.7M supporting McAdams
- Backed by
- American Federation of Government Employees · New Democrat Coalition Action Fund · Defend the Vote and 75 more. As the campaign lists them
- Polling
- 62.7% in the latest poll (Lighthouse Research). The polls
4 priorities from benmcadams.com, in the order they are listed there. Every heading and the text under it is copied exactly, as one passage for each page it is from, and links to that place on the page; hover a source to see which passage it opens.
Climate change is an existential threat that demands our immediate attention. I will work in Congress to curb greenhouse gas emissions and address the many other environmental crises facing our state so that our kids can breathe clean air, enjoy nature, and inherit a prosperous future. I will fight to protect Utah’s public lands, defend Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, restore the Great Salt Lake, advance lasting protections for the Wasatch and work to pass America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act.
- Sustainable Energy: Utah can lead in clean, affordable American-made energy that strengthens our economy and lowers costs for families. I support expanding clean energy, modernizing the electrical grid, and investing in transportation infrastructure that creates jobs and secures our energy future.
- Protecting Public Lands: I will protect Utah’s public lands and national parks from being sold off and exploited. Our public lands support outdoor recreation, rural economies, and a way of life that’s central to who we are as Utahns. We need to preserve them for future generations, not sell them to the highest bidder.
- I have a strong record of defending our public lands against development that threatens the places we love. I vigorously opposed the proposed SkiLink interconnect and the gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon because they put sensitive terrain and watershed areas at risk, and I have championed lasting wilderness protections for the Central Wasatch. In Congress, I stood alone among Utah’s delegation in voting for the Great American Outdoors Act — landmark bipartisan legislation that permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund and invests billions to repair and maintain our national parks and public lands — ensuring they remain accessible, protected, and preserved for generations to come.
- Restoring the Great Salt Lake: I will fight to restore and protect the Great Salt Lake, whose decline threatens Utah’s air quality, public health, wildlife habitat, and economy. That means pushing for smart water policy and conservation efforts that keep the lake healthy even during seasons of drought. The future of the Great Salt Lake is directly tied to the future of our communities.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · benmcadams.com/platform/protecting-the-environment
Hard-working people should be able to afford the basics—housing, health care, groceries, and a secure retirement. Too many are falling behind. I’m focused on tackling the affordability crisis by standing against Trump’s tariffs that are driving up the cost of groceries and everyday items, by expanding access to housing that’s affordable, lowering health care costs, strengthening retirement security, and pushing back on economic policies that reward corporations while driving up prices for everyone else. Donald Trump’s tax giveaways to the wealthy have made the rich richer while working families struggle. I will fight for an economy that helps Utah’s working people thrive.
- Housing: Utah families shouldn’t be priced out of their own communities. I’ll work to bring down the cost of housing, expand opportunities for first time homebuyers, increase housing supply, cut red tape that drives up costs, and support policies that help working families afford a safe place to live.
- Health Care: Nobody should have to choose between paying the rent and seeing a doctor. I’ll fight to lower health care costs by protecting coverage, reducing prescription drug prices, and standing up to policies that put insurance company profits ahead of patients.
- Groceries: The cost of everyday essentials keeps climbing while big corporations rake in record profits. I’ll work to lower food costs by opposing tariffs and tax policies that raise prices for consumers and hurt working families.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · benmcadams.com/platform/lowering-costs-and-building-economic-security-for-working-families
Heading as listed on benmcadams.com/platform ↗ (opens benmcadams.com/platform at this heading)
Democracy only works when leaders respect fair elections, independent institutions, and the will of the voters. As a member of Congress, I voted to impeach Donald Trump for abusing the power of the presidency, even though I knew it could cost me my seat. I will always stand up to Trump’s corruption, oppose the weaponization of the Justice Department, and restore American leadership abroad. I am also committed to ending ICE’s lawless and dangerous raids that intimidate communities and make neighborhoods less safe.
- Ending Violent ICE Raids: What we are seeing today is immigration enforcement that has been weaponized for political purposes, making communities less safe. ICE is broken; operating without accountability and oversight. ICE violence and unlawfulness must stop.
- I will work to dismantle the current enforcement model that relies on fear and indiscriminate raids, replace it with a system rooted in constitutional protections, and refocus federal resources on genuine public safety threats. We can enforce our laws without abandoning our values. America should never operate a federal agency that undermines the Constitution it is sworn to uphold.
- Restoring American Leadership Abroad: Donald Trump has weakened America’s standing in the world by picking fights with foreign friends, cozying up to dictators, and threatening to take over sovereign countries. In Congress, I will work to strengthen, not weaken, our alliances so that America can again be a trusted partner and respected leader on the global stage.
- Protecting the Independence of the Justice Department: No president should use the Justice Department as a political weapon. I will defend the rule of law and fight to make the justice department independent, fair, and focused on upholding the rule of law—not targeting political opponents.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · benmcadams.com/platform/defending-democracy-the-rule-of-law-and-the-will-of-the-voters
- Ending Violent ICE Raids: What we are seeing today is immigration enforcement that has been weaponized for political purposes, making communities less safe. ICE is broken; operating without accountability and oversight. ICE violence and unlawfulness must stop.
Every Utahn deserves dignity, freedom, and a fair chance to succeed, no matter who they are or where they come from. That means investing in strong public schools, standing up for LGBTQ+ individuals, and protecting the fundamental right to make personal health decisions without government interference. I will fight to ensure Utah is a place where everyone can learn, live, and thrive with dignity and respect.
Immigrants and New Americans: Immigrants are not a problem to be managed; they are part of the American story. Utah is stronger because of immigrants who build businesses, serve in our communities, and enrich our culture. I believe in an immigration system rooted in dignity, fairness, and opportunity; not fear, cruelty, or political scapegoating.
As Mayor of Salt Lake County, I created the Office for New Americans to ensure immigrants and refugees had access to language services, workforce training, and pathways to civic participation. I also launched the United for Citizenship Initiative to help thousands of eligible permanent residents become U.S. citizens because democracy works best when everyone can fully participate.
In Congress, I voted to provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and supported comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for law-abiding immigrants who contribute to our communities. I opposed family separation and efforts to demonize asylum seekers. We must protect TPS recipients, safeguard due process, and ensure that no child grows up in fear of losing their parents to unjust deportation.
I support permanently protecting Dreamers, expanding access to legal status, defending asylum protections, and ending policies that criminalize families seeking safety. Immigration reform must center human rights, keep families together, and create a clear, achievable pathway to citizenship.
Utah can lead with compassion and courage. We can build a system that is humane, just, and worthy of the values we claim to stand for.
LGTBQ+ Rights: Every Utah family deserves dignity and equal protection under the law. I have a long record of advancing LGBTQ+ rights, beginning in the Utah State Senate when I helped secure Utah’s landmark statewide nondiscrimination law protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in housing and employment. I have consistently supported marriage equality because the freedom to marry the person you love is a fundamental right.
In Congress, I was the only member of Utah’s delegation to vote for the Equality Act — landmark federal civil-rights legislation to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Throughout my time as State Senator, Mayor, and in Congress, I have supported policies that protect LGBTQ+ Americans from discrimination in housing, employment, health care, and public life, and I will continue defending the rights and safety of all Utahns, including transgender Americans who deserve the ability to live authentically and securely free from harassment or exclusion.
Reproductive Rights: Decisions about abortion should be made by a woman, her doctor, and the people she trusts, not politicians. I have a consistent record of standing up for reproductive freedom, access to contraception, and opposed efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, we’ve seen women denied life-saving care, and some have died as a result. That’s wrong, it’s dangerous, and it’s why we need to restore the freedom for women to make their own health decisions. I support codifying Roe into federal law to ensure women’s health decisions are protected nationwide.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · benmcadams.com/platform/defending-human-rights-and-opportunity-for-every-utahn