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Utah's Congressional Map: Federal Court Declines to Block, But Questions Remain (2026)
The 10th Circuit unanimously declined to block Utah’s 2026 congressional map from use in the midterms, aligning with the Utah Supreme Court.
Updated Oct 16, 2026, 2:28 PM ET
Ben McAdams, a Democrat who represented Utah's 4th congressional district from 2019 to 2021 and earlier served as mayor of Salt Lake County, faces Republican Riley Owen for Utah's redrawn 1st district in 2026.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
Live TruthIndex™ and prediction market consensus for races contested by Ben McAdams.
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Live News
Recent media coverage for Ben McAdams.
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Red state judge chooses new congressional map in fight that could reshape House control - Meridian Magazine Meridian Magazine
A Utah district judge, in a ruling announced November 11, 2025, rejected the Utah GOP-led legislature’s proposed congressional map and approved an alternate map that creates a Democratic-leaning district ahead of the…
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Utah House Race Ratings 2026: All 10 Changes Favor Democrats
The article reports a October 2026 update to Utah Political Watch’s House race ratings.
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What is expected to happen in the upcoming midterms?
The Deseret News opinion piece warns Utah Republicans to be wary of the 1st Congressional District (UT-01) race, centered on Ben McAdams.
No story this week names this candidate.
- Born
- December 5, 1974
- Birthplace
- West Bountiful, Utah
- Education
- University of Utah (bachelor's degree in political science)
Columbia Law School (Juris Doctor)
Biography & Campaign Analysis
Background
Ben McAdams was born on December 5, 1974, in West Bountiful, Utah. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Utah and a Juris Doctor with honors from Columbia Law School, where he was a member of the Columbia Human Rights Law Review.
After law school he worked briefly as an associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York City, then returned to Utah to practice securities law at Dorsey & Whitney in Salt Lake City before becoming senior advisor to Salt Lake City mayor Ralph Becker.
Career
Ben McAdams entered the Utah State Senate through a special election on December 19, 2009, replacing Scott McCoy in the 2nd district, and won a four-year term on November 2, 2010.
He was elected mayor of Salt Lake County on November 6, 2012, defeating Republican Mark Crockett 54% to 45%, and he won a second term in 2016 with 59% of the vote.
During his tenure the Utah Legislature tasked him with selecting a site for a new homeless shelter, and the county kept an AAA bond rating.
In 2018 McAdams defeated two-term Republican incumbent Mia Love in Utah's 4th congressional district by 694 votes, becoming the first Democratic member of Congress elected from Utah since Jim Matheson in 2012. In the House he served on the committees on Financial Services and on Science, Space, and Technology and belonged to the Blue Dog Coalition. Republican Burgess Owens defeated him in 2020 by approximately 3,000 votes.
2026 race
Ben McAdams is the Democratic nominee for Utah's 1st congressional district, which redistricting has redrawn around most of Salt Lake County, including Salt Lake City, West Valley, Millcreek, Cottonwood Heights and Murray. The new district has no incumbent.
McAdams won the Democratic primary on June 23, 2026, with 51.9% of the vote, ahead of state senator Nate Blouin with 27.5%, Liban Mohamed and tax attorney Michael Farrell. In the general election on November 3, 2026, he faces Republican Riley Owen, a former White House policy analyst.