A Utah state representative is challenging Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) in the state’s Supreme Court after losing his primary race to the Republican governor.
Republican Phil Lyman filed a lawsuit requesting the state’s highest court to “annul the June 25, 2024, primary election” and rename himself as the Utah Republican Party nominee for governor.
During the Utah Republican Party Nominating Convention in April, Lyman secured more than 60% of the delegate vote, earning him a spot on the GOP’s gubernatorial primary ballot.
Cox also met the state’s qualifications to appear on the primary ballot, albeit through a different process. There are several pathways for a candidate to put their name on the ballot in Utah, according to state law SB54.
Both a party caucus, which was the route Lyman took, and a signature gathering initiative, which Cox selected, are viable options for candidates to gain access to primary ballots. The incumbent governor collected the necessary 28,000 signatures from registered Republicans , legally assuring him a place on the ballot.