SANDY — Rep. Brad Galvez, R-West Haven, admits he is uncomfortable in running against a friend after being redistricted into a race with Rep. Lee Perry, R-Perry.
His discomfort will last a little longer after local delegates voted in the newly created House 29th District to send a race between the two one-term state representatives to a June 26 primary.
Neither candidate got 60 percent of the local state delegate vote, which means voters in Weber and Box Elder counties will decide who the party candidate will be in the November election.
Galvez won the delegate vote 36-30, with 68 registered delegates in the district.
The Top of Utah lost one district in the recent redistricting done at the state level, while Utah County gained one.
Two other Top of Utah politicians avoided a primary on Saturday morning.
Two-term Sen. Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, easily bested a challenge from Dan Deuel in District 19, and Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, also easily avoided a primary by beating LaMont Peterson in District 23, both gaining over 70 percent of the vote.
Both Galvez and Perry expressed disappointment with not winning the party nomination outright, but suggested the next two months will be busy in spreading their message in the newly created district.
“Obviously, I’m disappointed. It is what it is,” Galvez said of the primary race.
Perry tried to hide his disappointment behind humor.
“Two more months of fun,” he said of the upcoming primary, admitting it was a tongue-in-cheek comment.
Looking forward, Galvez looks at the primary as a chance to connect with even more voters before the June primary, while Perry said he will continue to spread his message that he will actively listen and represent local constituent concerns.
In the local Senate races, Christensen easily fought off an election challenge from Deuel 72-27.
Christensen said he was pleased by the result but not overconfident the party nomination means he will win re-election.
“There are a lot of unemployed politicians who were overly confident,” he said.
District 19 has 140 elected delegates, but only 99 participated in the primary, which left both Deuel and Christensen disappointed.
Deuel said he expected to force a primary, based on his campaign feedback from delegates.
For Weiler, the win Saturday was his second major victory within the past four months, as he was elected to replace former Sen. Dan Liljenquist.
“I’m relieved, excited and humbled,” Weiler said. He beat Peterson 119-18.
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