Moderate Democrat Ben McAdams wins primary in Utah’s new left-leaning district, CBS News projects

Former Rep. Ben McAdams, a moderate Democrat, won a competitive Democratic primary in Utah’s newly drawn 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, CBS News projects. 

The primary is the latest flashpoint in the debate over the direction of the Democratic Party’s future. The race pitted McAdams against three progressives — state Sen. Nate Blouin, political newcomer and Utah Democratic convention winner Liban Mohamed and tax attorney Michael Farrell.

The district, which encompasses Salt Lake City and its suburbs, could help determine the House majority in November. After a lengthy legal battle, court-ordered redistricting produced one Democratic-leaning district, giving the party its best opportunity in nearly a decade to flip one of the state’s four House seats. The University of Virginia’s Sabato’s Crystal Ball considers the new district a safe pickup for Democrats. 

Republican Rep. Blake Moore represents the 1st District under the old boundaries, which spanned the northern part of the state and stretched down into parts of Salt Lake City. Moore is now running for reelection in Utah’s solidly red 2nd District. 

McAdams was elected in 2018, serving one term in the House after beating a Republican incumbent. He was considered the most conservative Democrat during his two years in Congress, and he’s since had to distance himself from some of his past positions, most notably on abortion rights, to run a competitive race in an area that former Vice President Kamala Harris would have won by 24 points under the new boundaries. 

Blouin, who was considered the leading progressive in the race and backed by independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, also distanced himself from past views, apologizing for old social media posts in which he mocked sexual assault and Mormons.