Two write-in candidates for Utah governor with the last name “Lyman” withdrew their candidacies on Thursday, leaving state Rep. Phil Lyman, R-Blanding, as the only “Lyman” write-in candidate when voters fill out their mail-in ballots before Election Day.
The Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office confirmed to the Deseret News that Richard and Carol Lyman, a son and a mother, dropped out of the gubernatorial election on Thursday around 5 p.m. after originally filing a declaration of candidacy on Sept. 3.
Their withdrawal follows a lawsuit filed on Oct. 16 that names Phillip Lyman, and his running mate, attorney Natalie Clawson, as petitioners, and Richard Lyman as the respondent.
The petition alleged Richard and Carol’s candidacy was illegitimate and constituted election interference because they had not advertised their campaign for governor in any way and because there was evidence that they had entered the race for a monetary award.
What did Phil Lyman’s lawsuit say?
The petition resurfaced claims made by Phil Lyman in early September that he had received messages from an apparent acquaintance of Richard Lyman’s, alleging that Richard had entered the race after being promised $1,000 and offered a “steak dinner” by the campaign of Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to register as a write-in candidate.