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- Several minority candidates in Utah are set to win in a range of offices, augmenting the diversity in Utah's elected leaders.
- The candidates include Black hopefuls and others of Vietnamese, Venezuelan, Mexican, Tongan and Samoan descent.
- One said it is "absolutely crucial" to have representation from the "diverse ethnicities" in Utah.
SALT LAKE CITY — The slate of candidates on the cusp of winning in Utah includes several apparent firsts — the first Vietnamese American and Samoan American House members and the first elected Black State School Board member.
Perhaps more notably, several among the handful of minority candidates on track to win after Tuesday's vote say they would augment the voices of some of Utah's smaller population pockets in the state's halls of power.
"I believe it is absolutely crucial to have representation in government from the diverse ethnicities that we have here in Utah. I think it does matter," said Hoang Nguyen, a political refugee originally from Vietnam who's running for the District 23 Utah House seat, which serves parts of Salt Lake and Summit counties. "It's dangerous when we say that color doesn't matter."
Though Asian Americans have served in the Utah Legislature, Nguyen, a Democrat, would be the first Vietnamese American Utah House member, she said, and the first political refugee elected to the body. She and her family fled Vietnam after the Vietnam War, and she spent time as a refugee in Hong Kong before coming to the United States, where she's now a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Carlos Moreno, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Venezuela who's leading in the race for the District 2 seat on the Salt Lake County Council, said his Latino roots would help in connecting Salt Lake County's growing Latino population to local government. He fled Venezuela's socialist regime and speaks Spanish, Portuguese and English.
"I can connect with people in their own language to explain to them what's going on, to explain to them in their own language what's happening in the government," said Moreno, a Republican. The "cultural barriers" for many Latino newcomers to the United States can be significant, he said, noting the distrust they may harbor given government and police corruption in their home countries, and he can serve as a trusted connection to the government.
Though he's Black, Rod Hall — on track to election to the District 3 seat on the State School Board — said his aim as a board member would be to preserve the rights of all parents and teachers and improve the lives of all students. He stressed that he thinks the support he's received is because of his ideas and positions, not his race.
Still, he thinks his election could serve as inspiration to other racial or ethnic minorities. District 3 covers parts of Weber and Davis counties.
"It's great to see people of color in positions of leadership just to show other people of color that that doesn't have to be something that holds you back," said Hall, a Republican who lives in Syracuse. "This is a country of opportunity, and we have to just take those opportunities as they're given to us."
Shawn Newell, who is Black, served on the State Board of Education from 2019 to 2021 as a gubernatorial appointee, said board spokesman Kelsey James. But he thinks Hall would be the first African American elected to the body — Hall's understanding as well.
Votes are still being tallied across Utah from Tuesday's voting. But Nguyen, Moreno and Hall are among a handful of candidates of color edging toward victory as of the count late Thursday, adding to the diversity among Utah's ranks of elected officials. Nguyen had 72.9% of the vote in her District 23 House race compared to 25.5% for Republican M. Scott Romney. Hall had 69.6% in his bid for the State Board of Education compared to 30.4% for Utah Forward hopeful Laura Johnson. Moreno had 54.3% of the votes in his Salt Lake County Council race compared to 45.7% for Democrat Katie Olson.
'A different perspective'
Also among the other minority candidates seemingly edging to victory are Democrat Grant Miller, a Palestinian American and sole hopeful for the District 24 seat in the Utah House, which serves part of Salt Lake County.
"It wasn't my objective to play identity politics at all," said Miller, whose mother grew up in East Jerusalem, considered a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel. But he's discussed his Arab heritage as a candidate and thinks the diversity he and others bring makes for "informative and productive discourse" in the political process.
Verona Mauga, Democratic candidate for the District 31 Utah House seat, says she would be the first female Samoan American member not only of the Utah House but of any state legislative body in the continental United States. Jake Fitisemanu, also of Samoan descent, is running for the District 30 Utah House seat, and if he wins he would be the first-ever male Samoan American state legislator in the country.
"I think talking about race and identity politics can be really polarizing," said Mauga, but she also thinks it's important to have a diverse mix engaged in discussing and crafting policy. "I think we do a great service to Utahns if we have as many perspectives at the table as possible."
She had 57.5% of the vote as of Thursday afternoon compared to 42.5% for Republican Bill Swann.
Mauga, who lives in Taylorsville, wouldn't be the first Pacific Islander to serve in the Utah House. Phil Uipi, of Tongan descent, was elected to the body in 1991 and served until 1994. She's also one of three candidates of Pacific Island descent vying this cycle for a House seat, along with Fitisemanu and Doug Fiefia.
Fiefia, a Republican and Uipi's nephew, is running for the District 48 Utah seat and holds a solid lead with 63.5% of the vote compared to 36.5% for Democrat Stephen Middleton. His parents came to the United States from Tonga, and he remembers at one point living in Kearns in a crowded home with five other families as a money-saving measure.
"I think my ability to understand the Polynesian community in Utah will definitely help when reviewing bills and laws that will be passed. I'll have just a different perspective on how that will affect not only Polynesians, but maybe some other ethnic backgrounds that comprise the state of Utah," he said. Utah, community members say, has the highest per capita concentration of Pacific Islanders of any state in the continental United States.
Fitisemanu was still embroiled in a tight battle for the District 30 post with Republican Fred Cox. As of Thursday, Fitisemanu had 51.6% of the vote compared to 48.4% for Cox.
Rosalba Dominguez, of Mexican descent, seeks the District 35 House post as a Democrat, and she was in a close battle for the post with Republican Mike Bird. Dominguez had 51.8% of the vote compared to 48.2% for Bird.
Two other hopefuls seeking Salt Lake County Council seats would also add to the racial and ethnic diversity of Utah's slate of elected officials. Ross Romero, of Mexican descent, held a wide lead for the District 4 County Council seat with 63.3% of the vote compared to 33.3% for Republican Roger Livingston, the next closest contender. Democrat Natalie Pinkney, who is Black, held 51.1% of the vote for the at-large C post on the County Council compared to 48.9% for Republican Rachelle Morris as counting of the final ballots continued.
Correction: An earlier version incorrectly spelled Verona Mauga as Veronica.
