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- Longtime Utah lawmaker and Democratic caucus leader Mike Dmitrich has died at age 87.
- Dmitrich served 40 consecutive years in the Utah Legislature, including as House minority leader from 1983-1990 and Senate minority leader from 2001-2008.
- Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and other politicians praised Dmitrich's service, highlighting his skill in negotiation and collaboration across party lines.
PRICE — Longtime Utah lawmaker and Democratic caucus leader Mike Dmitrich has died at age 87, according to an online obituary published Tuesday.
Dmitrich was first elected to represent Price in the Utah House of Representatives in 1968, where he served until he was appointed to the state Senate in 1991. During his tenure, he served as House minority leader from 1983 to 1990, and as Senate minority leader from 2001 until he retired in 2008.
His 40 years of consecutive service in the Legislature make him one of the longest-serving politicians in the Beehive State. News of Dmitrich's death prompted an outpouring of support from current elected officials.
"I am saddened to learn of the passing of former Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich," said Senate President Stuart Adams, a Republican from Layton. "He was a dedicated public servant who spent decades serving the people of Utah. Dmitrich's contributions, service and love for the state will be long remembered. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time."
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Dmitrich "fought tirelessly for the people of eastern and southern Utah" throughout his tenure in the Legislature.
"He was a champion for those who needed a voice," the governor said. "His leadership, kindness, and integrity made him a true public servant and a good person. Mike's legacy will live on through the many lives he touched and the impact he made on our great state. He will be deeply missed."
"Sen. Dmitrich was one of the first people I met at the start of my public service career," said Sen. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, the current Senate minority leader. "He taught me invaluable skills, especially the art of negotiation and collaboration across party lines — both essential to creating good public policy."
A statement from Utah Senate Democrats said Dmitrich's "legacy as a rural Democrat continues to resonate today, and his contributions will always be cherished by our caucus."
Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said she was "saddened" to learn of Dmitrich's death, calling the late legislator a "dedicated public servant who spent an impressive 40 years of his life in service to our state."
Dmitrich was born in Murray but later moved to Carbon County. He attended Utah State Agricultural College, now Utah State University, where he played both center and nose guard on the football team. He later played for and attended the College of Eastern Utah — now Utah State University Eastern — in Price. His name still adorns the Bunnell-Dmitrich Athletic Center on the school's Price campus.
In 2009, the Utah Legislature renamed the portion of U.S. 6 between I-15 and I-70 the Mike Dmitrich Highway in his honor.
"There's not anybody that's done more for the state, in my opinion, and especially for the District 27 ... for the improvement of the safety of this highway over the last 40 years," Sen. David Hinkins, Dmitrich's successor, said while introducing the bill to rename the highway on the Senate floor on Feb. 10, 2009.
