2022 United States Senate election in Utah

The 2022 United States Senate election in Utah was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Utah. Incumbent senator Mike Lee, who was first elected in 2010, won re-election to a third term, defeating Evan McMullin, an independent candidate who was endorsed by the Utah Democratic Party.

This was the first Senate election in Utah's history in which there was no Democratic nominee. Lee's performance was the worst for a Republican in a Utah U.S. Senate election since 1974, while McMullin's was the best ever for an independent in a Utah U.S. Senate race and the best for a non-Republican since 1976.

Republican primary
Incumbent U.S. Senator Mike Lee won over 70% of the vote at the Utah Republican Party state convention on April 23, 2022. Though considered by the party to be its nominee, a primary was still held on June 28, 2022, after two other candidates garnered enough signatures to qualify.

Nominee

 * Mike Lee, incumbent U.S. Senator (2011–present)



Eliminated in primary

 * Becky Edwards, state representative (2009–2018)
 * Ally Isom, business executive, former director of institutional messaging for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and former deputy chief of staff and communications director to former governor Gary Herbert

Eliminated at convention

 * Evan Barlow, assistant professor at Weber State University
 * Loy Arlan Brunson, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2012 and 2018
 * Jeremy Friedbaum, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010, 2012 and 2018
 * Laird Hamblin, biologist, children's songwriter (running as write-in)

Did not file

 * Tyrone Jensen, political podcaster, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018 and UT's 2nd congressional district in 2020
 * Benjamin Davis

Withdrawn

 * Brendan Wright, area planning manager for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (endorsed Edwards)

Declined

 * Henry Eyring, assistant professor of accounting at London School of Economics and grandson of Henry B. Eyring
 * Erin Rider, attorney
 * Thomas Wright, real estate broker, chair of the Utah Republican Party (2011–2013) and candidate for Governor of Utah in 2020.

Polling

 * Graphical summary

Primary
[[File:2022 United States Senate Republican primary election in Utah results map by county.svg|thumb|Results by county: {{legend|#e27f90|Lee}}

{{legend|#e27f90|50–60%}}

{{legend|#d75d5d|60–70%}}

{{legend|#d72f30|70–80%}}

{{legend|#c21b18|80–90%}} ]]

Democratic convention
The Utah Democratic Party state convention took place on April 23, 2022. Kael Weston was the only Democrat still running; however, the party endorsed Evan McMullin's independent bid in lieu of nominating a candidate, following encouragement from many prominent Democrats in the state, including former Rep. Ben McAdams and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, to back McMullin's campaign.

Eliminated at convention

 * Kael Weston, former U.S. State Department official and nominee for Utah's 2nd congressional district in 2020

Did not file

 * Austin Searle, musician

Withdrew

 * Allen Glines, community activist and writer
 * Nicholas Mitchell, scientist and business owner (running for Utah's 2nd congressional district)

Declined

 * Ben McAdams, U.S. Representative for UT's 4th congressional district (2019–2021) (endorsed McMullin)
 * Steve Schmidt, political commentator for MSNBC, founder of The Lincoln Project, and former Republican political strategist

Convention vote
The Utah Democratic Party held a state convention on April 23, 2022, to endorse candidates for state offices. Supporters of independent candidate Evan McMullin, led by Salt Lake County mayor Jenny Wilson, introduced a motion for the state party to forgo nominating a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate and to instead "join Evan McMullin’s independent coalition to beat Mike Lee", contending that not doing so would split the anti-Lee vote in the general election. The motion was opposed by supporters of Kael Weston, the lone Democratic candidate for the seat who thus would have received the nomination had the motion failed. The delegates passed the motion by a 57%–43% margin.

Nominee

 * James Hansen, teacher

Eliminated at convention

 * Lucky Bovo

Declared

 * Tommy Williams, perennial candidate

Declared

 * Evan McMullin, political activist, former CIA operations officer, and candidate for President of the United States in 2016 (endorsed by the Democratic Party, United Utah Party, and Forward Party)

Withdrawn

 * Evan Barlow, assistant professor at Weber State University (running as a Republican).

Polling

 * Aggregate polls
 * Graphical summary


 * Becky Edwards vs. Evan McMullin


 * Ally Isom vs. Evan McMullin


 * Mike Lee vs. Kael Weston vs. Evan McMullin
 * Mike Lee vs. Steve Schmidt vs. Evan McMullin


 * Mike Lee vs. Steve Schmidt


 * Mike Lee vs. Kael Weston

By county

 * Counties that flipped from Republican to Independent
 * Grand (largest municipality: Moab)
 * Salt Lake (largest municipality: Salt Lake City)
 * Counties that flipped from Democratic to Independent
 * Summit (largest municipality: Park City)

By congressional district
Lee won all 4 congressional districts.