A week — maybe a month. That’s how long it could take to find out the end result of Utah’s nail-biting primary season finale in the 2nd Congressional District.
The race to decide Rep. Celeste Maloy’s fate in Congress remained up in the air on Monday as updated vote totals continued to eat away at the congresswoman’s narrow lead over her opponent, Colby Jenkins, and inched the race closer to a potential recount.
An update of just under 400 ballots from Sevier County on Monday morning left the margin separating the candidates unchanged, with 197 votes each going to both Maloy and Jenkins despite Maloy leading in previous ballot counts from the county.
Another small ballot drop from Tooele County boosted Jenkins by nearly 30 votes, narrowing the margin between the two candidates from 382 to 354, before a 4 p.m. update of nearly 150 ballots from Washington County brought Jenkins to within 309 votes of the incumbent.
Maloy, who led Jenkins 49.85% to 50.15% as of 5 p.m. on Monday, is fighting for reelection to her first full term after winning November’s special election propelled by Washington County support.