Estimated read time: 8-9 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — Ballots for the Republican primary are on their way starting Tuesday, when Utah voters registered with the party will have the choice between three attorney general candidates seeking to replace current Attorney General Sean Reyes, who bowed out of the race in December.
The Utah attorney general is the chief law enforcement official for the state, tasked with the mission "to uphold the constitutions of the United States and the state of Utah, to enforce the law, and to protect the interests of the state of Utah and its people, environment, and resources." Over 500 attorneys and staff are under the direction of the elected officer, who outlines the vision and priorities of the group.
Four Republicans have been vying for a spot on the ticket, and the campaigning has been at full tilt since the beginning of the year.
Through the convention process on April 27, party delegates voted on who to send to the primaries. Trent Christensen and Derek Brown were knocked out in the first round, leaving Frank Mylar and Rachel Terry. In the second round, Mylar (59.8%) and Terry (40.2%) earned their spots on the ballot.
Brown also went through the signature-gathering process to qualify for the ballot and will be the third candidate vying for the general election in November.
All the candidates share common ground.
As Reyes is currently embroiled in lawsuits regarding the disclosure of his work calendar, each hopeful said they are committed to making the office more transparent by disclosing their calendars to the public and designating community liaisons.
All expressed support during the convention for in-person voting with identification required, strong anti-abortion sentiments, the desire to crack down on illegal immigration and disdain for "federal overreach." They all support the reelection of former President Donald Trump, though Brown expressed he only backs policies that are "consistent with conservative principles."
In no particular order, these candidates spoke with KSL.com about their priorities, experience and what sets them apart from the pack.
Rachel Terry
Overview
Terry is currently the director of the Utah Division of State Risk Management, which works with public schools and state entities to provide insurance and risk mitigation services.
She previously served as an attorney at the Utah Attorney General's Office in civil rights cases, has worked at a private firm handling mining, property, banking and other cases. Terry was formerly the deputy director for the Utah League of Cities and Towns and served two years for the Utah Board of Education.
"I've worked on a broad, broad spectrum of legal work," Terry said. "And through that experience, I've been able to build relationships and coalitions with the entities that are represented by the attorney general's office."
According to campaign financial disclosures, Terry has received $98,291.92 for her campaign so far. Of her donors, Terry said, "There's not money pouring in from random places by and large. They're people I've developed relationships with; most of it comes from friends and family," or those who are aligned with her objectives.
As investigations and internal audits have haunted the past three attorneys general, Terry says, "The best way to stay out of trouble is to not look for it and to stay focused on the work."
She believes her qualifications and passion for the work set her apart from the other two candidates. "The mission of the attorney general's office is to protect Utah and Utah's resources, and it's something that I care deeply about," Terry said. "I have 13-year-old twins, and I want to make sure that they have the same opportunities and quality of life that I've enjoyed."
Top 3 issues
Terry said she plans to improve the relationship between the public and the attorney general's office through constituent services and public accountability. She said she will work to "protect children from the harms of online predators and social media," and support law enforcement "as they navigate issues the immigration crisis has created."
Endorsements
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the Utah Fraternal Order of Police have endorsed Terry. Many other endorsements have come from municipalities, with mayors, commissioners, council members, sheriffs and private attorneys signing on to her campaign. "I just want to do a great job for the state and represent them well," she said.
Derek Brown
Overview
Brown was chairman of the Utah Republican Party from 2019 to 2021, Sen. Mike Lee's former deputy chief of staff, and served four years in the Utah House of Representatives. He was also a lobbyist from 2017 until the beginning of 2024, working with a large number of industry clients from tech, real estate, the arts, municipalities, medical cannabis, alcohol, direct-to-consumer products and more. He was also practicing law during that time and still does.
In Washington, D.C., Brown worked at two multinational law firms, practicing litigation in constitutional and appellate law.
"You need the legal background, you need the political background and you need the leadership background," Brown said. "I am the only candidate in the race that truly has all three of those."
He was the only one to seek a nomination using both the signature-gathering process and the convention process and has received $509,068.68 so far, more than three times the rest of the candidates combined. "Right now I accept donations from anyone that supports me," he said.
"It's an opportunity to make a difference in the state of Utah and to serve," Brown said, and the job "requires more than legal work; it requires an understanding of the political dynamics of the office." He believes he will bring "fresh eyes" to the role as the only person in the race never to work in the office.
Top 3 issues
Brown's biggest priority — "advocating for the most vulnerable," specifically protecting children on social media. He also said, "I would anticipate spending a significant amount of time ensuring that the federal government stays in its lane," in areas of federal lands, education and energy.
Using his experience at large law firms and on appropriations committees, Brown says he will "make sure that I am supported in making (the attorney general's office) the most effective, modern and prestigious law firm in the state of Utah."
Endorsements
Wednesday, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced his endorsement for Brown, joining Sen. Mike Lee and a number of state senators, representatives, county commissioners and others.
Frank Mylar
Overview
Mylar has run a private practice for over two decades, focusing on constitutional and government litigation, law enforcement, civil rights and religious liberty. Before that, he worked in the attorney general's office for 12 years and served as director of legal affairs for the Utah Department of Corrections.
"I worked for three generals, and I've worked in every major area of the office," Mylar said, "I'm the only one with criminal law experience. I've actually prosecuted as well as done criminal defense, and that's a third of what the office does."
Mylar called his $46,214.53 in donations a "grassroots combination" of "real people."
As an attorney with the conservative Christian legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom, Mylar said he has gained experience fighting for constitutional rights in areas like federal overreach, immigration, religious and racial discrimination, property rights, and religious exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccine. "You name it, I've done it," Mylar said, and he hopes to be more aggressive about claims of constitutional violations received by the office if elected.
Much of his work with the advocacy group has been free of charge, according to Mylar. "I want to be able to actually be attentive to people's constitutional rights and to help vindicate them when we can and make sure people feel like they're being addressed."
Mylar is under scrutiny after his opponent Christensen reported a text message to police and the bar association claiming Mylar offered him a job in exchange for an endorsement. The message, which read in part "if you could endorse me before the convention I would definitely include you in my office," was retracted hours later with Mylar apologizing and calling it an accident.
The candidate told KSL that the text "was a mistake, I had no idea that's what it said," and noted that he was distracted while in the midst of a trial. "I say things in text, especially in my voice text, and somehow it's completely distorted."
Top 3 issues
Mylar will focus on addressing sex-based discrimination and Title IX issues. "I don't want any exceptions whatsoever," he said. "It's not fair to the girls and to the women."
Fighting federal encroachment related to schools, prisons, transgender issues, and federal land in the state will be a priority for Mylar.
He also seeks to address immigration problems, wants to make it illegal for someone to transport or fund the transportation of undocumented immigrants and wants to "ship out anyone dumped here recently."
"It's just totally irresponsible that New York and other places are dumping illegals in our state," he said. "Sometimes at midnight on planes, and we're just not doing anything about it."
Endorsements
The advocacy group Moms for America Action has endorsed Mylar, as well as Beaver County Sheriff Cody Black, the former CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom Michael Farris, and other private attorneys.
