Celeste Meloy declared winner in special primary election

Celeste Meloy has been declared the winner of Utah’s 2nd district Republican Primary after the count dragged into the second day after the election. 

“It’s exciting that we’re going to have somebody come out of this primary that represents rural and southern Utah.,” Meloy said to AP News. “I think it’s time for that, and everybody’s ready for it.” 

Meloy began to inch closer to victory in the late evening Sep. 5, as her biggest challenger Becky Edwards took on an early lead. After the race was called by the Associated Press, Edwards conceded the race, and took to Twitter, now known as X, with her statement. 

“While there remain ballots to be counted, we have come up short in this race,” Edwards stated on Twitter. “As our campaign comes to a close, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you [who supported us]. Your unwavering dedication and tireless efforts have been the driving force behind this remarkable journey. We ran a campaign that engaged, inspired, and ignited passion, and for that, we are incredibly proud.” 

As it stands, there are still ballots that are left to be counted. As of this writing, Meloy leads by about three points according to Utah’s election website. If holding firm, Meloy stands to become the Republican nominee for Utah’s 2nd district race where she will face off against Democratic State Senator Kathleen Reibe, and various other third-party candidates. 

To learn more about voter registration, visit voter.utah.gov. To find more information about the general election candidates, visit Ballotpedia. 

Matthew Drachman

Editor-In-Chief of the UVU Review   (2022-2024)

Starting with the Review in 2021, I have strived to tell every story in a fair and balanced way. As Editor-In-Chief of this organization, I promise that every paper you pick up, and every article you read will be everything the story has to tell and nothing in between.