Democratic Party candidates for House District 23, Jeff Howell and Hoang Nguyen speak at a debate moderated by attorney, writer and podcaster Eli McCann on June 4, 2024. (Courtesy/Better Utah Institute)
Candidates for Utah House Districts 23 and 24, two blue dots in the state Legislature, may share Democratic views on the state’s most pressing issues. But, in predominantly red Utah, how could they make a difference in a Legislature that passes conservative bills on education, the environment and culture war issues?
That dynamic was front and center in two debates ahead of the party’s June 25 primary election organized by the Better Utah Institute.
In District 24, incumbent Joel Briscoe, who has been in his seat for about 14 years, faces public defender Grant Miller and physics and astronomy professor Ramón Barthelemy. Barthelemy didn’t attend the debate. This race doesn’t have a Republican challenger, so whoever wins the June 25 primary will take the spot.
Entrepreneur Hoang Nguyen faces tech sales manager Jeff Howell in District 23. The candidate to win the primary will be the Democratic party’s nominee in the bid to replace Rep. Brian King, who has served the Legislature from 2009 and didn’t seek another term in order to run for governor.
The hopefuls made their pitches to dozens of constituents and organizers who gathered at two Salt Lake City Library locations this week, as well as a crowd that watched online. Here are some of the highlights.
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District 23
With no incumbent running for reelection, this is one of the most watched races in the Democratic Party. Both candidates have advocated for and against policies on the hill. The Tuesday debate — moderated by Eli McCann, an attorney, writer and podcaster — was full of name drops and discussions on which candidate’s skill set would best fit the Capitol.
Nguyen has shadowed Democrats, such as Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, for about five years on the hill, she said. And she has worked with majority leaders. When a bill restricting diversity, equity and inclusion programs emerged this past legislative session, she got a call from Sen. Karen Kwan, D-Taylorsville, asking her to testify during the public hearing, she said. She took the invitation and spoke about how her business ventures are a product of DEI programs.
Howell, who received King’s endorsement, mentioned that one of his best friends is Rep. Tyler Clancy, R-Provo, a legislator he could collaborate with to secure funding for homelessness resources. Before landing his tech job, he worked for the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office and as a congressional staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives.
He vowed to be an “effective Democrat.”
“I’m sick and tired of the contention, the gridlock and the polarization on Capitol Hill. We need more civility, decency and compassion and bipartisanship,” Howell said.
Both candidates said they would champion education, environmental issues, reproductive rights, housing affordability and homelessness resources. Both have volunteered and lobbied for those causes, they said.
As a woman with a “unique” background, being a Vietnamese refugee, Nguyen said she sees holes in society that others may miss. She promised to watch out for Utah’s middle class and unions.
“I will work with each and every one of you to help and fix them. I will help craft policy that’s inclusive and equitable for all Utahns,” she said.
House District 24
Democratic Party candidates for House District 24, Joel Briscoe and Grant Miller speak at a debate moderated by Utah News Dispatch Editor McKenzie Romero on June 3, 2024. (Courtesy/Better Utah Institute)
Briscoe and Miller shared similar views during the debate Monday, moderated by Utah News Dispatch Editor McKenzie Romero. Among the issues they discussed, they agreed teachers must earn a living wage to improve education outcomes, the state should implement compassionate policies for those experiencing homelessness and DEI efforts must be preserved.
The two men hoping to earn the Democratic slot on the ballot share similar ideals, Miller said. And though Briscoe has served the district well, Miller believes every race “is part of a larger marathon” of advancing progressive values, and he represents a fresh thought and strategy process for Democrats.
“I want everyone to remember you always have a voice when you have a seat at the table,” Miller said after explaining how strategizing the right “branding” for a house bill he helped draft was crucial to turning it into law.
As a public defender who has worked with unsheltered populations, Miller emphasized the need for homelessness resources, transitional housing and renters’ rights because “the pendulum has swung pretty radically far to one side” when it comes to corporate landlords.
Miller, who is Palestinian, also spoke about an “inflection point” in the state’s free speech, pointing to book bans and police violence toward pro-Palestine protesters at the University of Utah.
Briscoe spoke about some wins he has been part of in the Legislature, including a bipartisan legislative air caucus, and pushing to implement a Utah Transit Authority free fare program for Wasatch Front students, their parents and teachers to help combat absenteeism and encourage clearing air pollution.
He promised he’ll continue to fight against book bans and against efforts to dismantle voting by mail and ranked choice voting. Briscoe also pledged to strengthen water conservation goals and air quality standards.
“The long-term health and vitality of the Wasatch Front in the state of Utah is at stake,” Briscoe said, “I have constituents who are starting to talk with their significant others about when they sell their homes.”
Briscoe highlighted that the Legislature has a lot of attorneys, developers and business people, but not enough teachers. An especially important role, he said, considering the Legislature sponsored 179 bills on public education “that were trapped by the state office.”
“I think it’s important that we keep a teacher, me, in district 24 on the hill, keeping track of that legislation,” he said.
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