Utah’s 4th District candidates compete for newly drawn seat
Utah’s 4th Congressional District looks a little different this year after maps were redrawn last November. For the first time this midterm cycle, the new dynamic will be put to the test.
The 4th District now includes Tooele, Millard, Sanpete, Juab and Sevier counties and parts of Salt Lake and Utah counties.
Incumbent Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, announced in March that he would not seek reelection after the number of safe Republican districts in Utah dropped from four to three and the new map included a district drawn to favor Democrats.
In a post on X, Owens expressed gratitude for the experience and for those who supported him. He said the “next chapter of my mission would be best pursued outside elected office.”
Candidates running for the open seat are current 3rd District Rep. Mike Kennedy, Republican; Jonny Larsen, Democrat; Taylor Wright, Libertarian; and Steven Burt, unaffiliated.
Physician turned congressman
After his first term serving Utah’s 3rd District, Kennedy will run in the 4th District.
As a former family doctor, Kennedy is running on healthcare, seeking to ban transgender medical intervention for minors and reduce the medical billing burden on Native American patients.
The University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics and the Sutherland Institute recently hosted a Q&A with Kennedy as a guest speaker. When a student asked him about the U.S. surgeon general position, he replied, “I’m warning you right now, that position shouldn’t be there. We don’t need a chief doctor.
Kennedy is also running on an issue that has impacted the nation, affordability. He said he has worked to cut taxes and lower the cost of living. His campaign site states he has voted against spending bills and “He will continue working to lower costs and make life more affordable.”
Border control, energy production expansion and wildfire prevention are also policies his campaign focuses on.
On June 18, President Donald Trump endorsed Kennedy on social media. He wrote: “A Proven Leader, Mike has served his family well as a Family Physician, Lawyer, and Highly Respected State Legislator, prior to becoming a distinguished Congressman.”
Marine veteran runs as Blue Dog Democrat
Next on the ballot is Marine veteran Larsen, who first filed his candidacy on May 9, 2025.
At 17, Larsen joined the Marine Corps where he served as an infantry rifleman from 2000 to 2004. He explained what motivated him to run for office: “The Marine Corps taught me what happens when you commit to something bigger than yourself.”
Larsen’s campaign is focused on housing and cost of living, public land and data centers.
A press release on Larsen’s campaign site expressed his concerns for a proposed data center in Box Elder County. He said, “The one down in Box Elder is going to increase the air temperature by 20 degrees Celsius.”
He added, “We are in a drought and we cannot afford the water to spend to cool these things right now without further review. I just ask that we wait until we can establish the impact on all of that so that we can provide water to our residents.”
Larsen is also a cancer survivor, and because of that, his campaign focuses on healthcare.
What’s next?
According to a Lighthouse Research poll of 4th District voters, commissioned by the Utah Debate Commission and released in September, 41.7% of respondents said they would vote for Kennedy, while 32.9% said Larsen, and 25.4% chose another candidate or were undecided.
A debate between Kennedy and Larsen will be Oct. 8 at Snow College, hosted by the Utah Debate Commission.