In a surprise upset, a Republican critic of former President Donald Trump, who actually voted for Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election, was defeated in Utah’s special congressional election held on Tuesday.
Becky Edwards, a former state legislator, narrowly finished behind Celeste Maloy, a congressional staffer and delegate pick for the Utah GOP. Maloy received the endorsement of Republican Rep. Chris Stewart, who resigned to care for his sick wife, triggering the special election in Utah’s reliably conservative 2nd Congressional District. Maloy will now advance to the general election on Nov. 21, where she will face Democrat state Sen. Kathleen Riebe.
Edwards, who was leading in public polls of the race, was on track to become the only member of the House GOP caucus to openly admit to voting for Biden, putting her at odds with Republicans eager to impeach the president. Edwards also broke with the GOP’s stance on the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, stating that she didn’t see a “compelling” reason to revisit the landmark abortion case.
However, Edwards faced criticism for refusing to debate her opponents and for not supporting Trump. She failed to secure enough support from delegates at the state GOP convention against Maloy, a former legal counsel in Stewart’s congressional office. Unofficial results showed that Edwards performed well in and around Salt Lake City, while Maloy garnered significant support in the rural areas of the district.
Maloy also faced a lawsuit in an attempt to keep her off the ballot due to her inconsistent voting record, but a judge ruled in her favor, allowing her to continue in the race.
It’s important to note that low-turnout special elections are not necessarily indicative of broader electoral trends. However, support for Trump remains strong within the GOP-controlled lower chamber, with some of his staunchest allies serving in the House. It remains unclear whether Maloy supports Trump, as she did not vote in Utah in 2020 and has sidestepped questions about her preferred candidate for the 2024 presidential race.
Edwards, who previously challenged Republican Sen. Mike Lee in a primary in 2022, has been vocal about urging Republicans not to vote for Trump, who is currently the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination. She has also stated that Trump should be impeached for his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, a position that has isolated her from many Republicans. Notably, the majority of House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in 2021 either lost their seats or chose not to run for reelection the following year.
Stewart announced his resignation in May after serving a decade in Congress. His district is one of four safe Republican seats in Utah, a state that is deeply conservative but has seen some Republicans, like Mitt Romney and Evan McMullin, openly criticize Trump.
CORRECTION: This story has been amended to reflect that Maloy was the GOP delegate pick in Utah, not Nevada.
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