The Forward Party of Utah, formerly the United Utah Party (UUP), is a centrist political party in the U.S. state of Utah. Founded in 2017, the party identifies itself as politically moderate. The party's current name is the result of an April 2025 merger between the UUP and the Utah state branch of the Forward Party (FWD).

History Background and formation Prior to the formation of the United Utah Party, Brigham Young University (BYU) political science professor Richard Davis had considered forming a political party for years. According to Davis, he found people were open to an alternative political party during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He announced the formation of the party on May 22, 2017. Davis became a chairperson for the party. Jim Bennett, the son of former U.S. Senator Bob Bennett, was the party's executive director until he stepped down to run as the UUP's candidate in a special congressional election to replace Jason Chaffetz. Nils Bergeson, a former U.S. foreign service officer, was the party's second executive director in 2018.

Forward Party merger On April 2, 2025, the party announced plans to merge with the Forward Party of Utah, and during a joint convention on April 26, members of both parties voted in favor of the merger.

Political positions The UUP focuses on 5 political priorities that party members refer to as the "5 E's": Economy, Education, Environment, Equality and Ethical Government. The 5th "E" of Ethical Government includes support for alternative voting methods (such as ranked choice voting and approval voting), more non-partisan elections, and opposing efforts to impose partisan politics on the judicial branch of government. According to former UUP chairman Richard Davis, the party's platform is mostly based on laws and principles, rather than specific policy positions. He told The Salt Lake Tribune that the party supports term limits, stricter campaign-finance laws, efforts to stop gerrymandering, and increased school funding. The party's platform also includes advocating for a healthy immigration system that creates and enforces fair laws. The party believes that public lands can be preserved while still allowing economic development. The UUP supports the right of responsible gun owners to possess firearms.

The UUP supports efforts to stop using taxpayer money in the Utah Republican Party's closed primary elections. On December 1, 2017, the party called for greater transparency regarding sexual harassment allegations on Capitol Hill. In January 2018, the UUP announced support for the "Our Schools Now" initiative, a proposed progressive tax meant to increase funding for education.

Electoral history

2017 Utah congressional election

On May 26, 2017, Jim Bennett attempted to apply as an affiliated candidate in Utah's 3rd congressional district special election, 2017, but the lieutenant governor's office rejected the application because the elections office had not had 30 days to finish certifying the new party. Bennett refused to register as an unaffiliated candidate. Utah's elections office certified the party on June 27, 2017.

On June 21, 2017, the UUP filed a lawsuit against Utah state officials to get Bennett's name on the ballot. In court, a Utah state attorney argued that the UUP could have formed earlier to meet the application deadline. A party lawyer argued that only a "soothsayer" could have predicted that Jason Chaffetz would resign from the U.S. House of Representatives. On August 2, 2017, a federal judge in charge of the case ordered Utah election officials to allow Bennett on the ballot under the United Utah Party.

In late September 2017, Bennett narrowly qualified to participate in the Utah Debate Commission's selective debate, along with the election's Republican and Democratic candidates, John Curtis and Kathie Allen. The special election was held on November 7, 2017, and Bennett conceded the race hours after the polls closed, and initial results showed Curtis winning and Allen getting second place. Bennett got third place with 9.3% of the popular vote.

Results

2018

In February 2018, two UUP candidates announced they would run for the United States House of Representatives: Jan Garbett and Logan, Utah native Eric Eliason, who challenged Republicans Chris Stewart and Rob Bishop respectively. On March 20, 2018, the United Utah Party held caucuses at 19 locations with attendance of just over 900 people, when the party had just over 400 registered members. Garbett later withdrew from the race. Eliason was defeated, receiving 11.6% of the vote as Rob Bishop was reelected to what would become his final term.

Results

2020 NameOfficeVotes%PositionMargin with winnerBrian FabbiState Auditor173,64413.02nd61.8Thomas McNeillUS Representative - CD37,0402.04th66.7Jonia BroderickUS Representative - CD48,0372.14th45.6Emily BergesonState Senator - SD711,35122.32nd55.4Chris RawlinsState Representative - HD64,76719.62nd60.8Shawn FerriolaState Representative - HD123,98322.82nd54.4Ammon GruwellState Representative - HD155,30122.82nd54.4Cabot NelsonState Representative - HD256073.03rd79.8Tanner GreenhalghState Representative - HD296913.13rd75.5Adam BeanState Representative - HD356624.53rd63.3Dave LundgrenState Representative - HD411,6026.43rd63.0Ryan BoudwinState Representative - HD421,1784.93rd53.6Jeff BardinState Representative - HD438255.43rd47.0John JacksonState Representative - HD447333.93rd51.8Joseph SheltonState Representative - HD486543.73rd68.6Kate WaltersState Representative - HD563,57618.42nd63.2Homer MorrillState Representative - HD588094.83rd79.8Catherine EslingerState Representative - HD594,84124.22nd51.5Christine HeathState Representative - HD603,54022.02nd50.7Nils BergesonState Representative - HD613,03420.32nd59.4Austin SimcoxState Representative - HD635887.63rd53.4Piper ManesseState Representative - HD721,3747.53rd67.9Ed PhillipsMillard County Commissioner2,31938.32nd23.4Monette ClarkSan Juan County Commissioner48120.62nd58.7Larry SmithSanpete County Commissioner2,67222.12nd55.8

2022 NameOfficeVotes%PositionMargin with winnerEvan McMullinSenate (endorse)459,95842.72nd10.5Thomas HorneState Treasurer (special)94,2659.63rd64.5Jay McfarlandUS Representative - CD28,6223.33rd56.4January WalkerUS Representative - CD416,7406.63rd54.5Kimberly WagnerState Senator - SD710,65128.12nd43.8Dennis RoachState Senator - SD149291.83rd60.4Jed NordfeldtState Senator - SD181,8425.13rd61.3Tyler PetersonState Senator - SD193,3016.93rd51.5Patricia BradfordState Senator - SD283,3549.03rd71.9Ammon GruwellState Representative - HD153,14722.42nd55.3Cabot NelsonState Representative - HD235352.63rd74.0Evan RodgersState Representative - HD306386.23rd42.5Adam BeanState Representative - HD323532.73rd69.9Tim LoftisState Representative - HD404393.83rd52.0David JackState Representative - HD424,32621.72nd36.1Ladd JohnsonState Representative - HD465,56235.52nd29.1Dave LundgrenState Representative - HD474,53029.82nd40.4Andrew MatishenState Representative - HD549935.53rd74.6Alan WessmanState Representative - HD642,76120.02nd60.0Zeno ParryState Representative - HD701,2288.12nd83.8Piper ManesseState Representative - HD718867.23rd69.3Jonathan MunozMillard County Commissioner2,18843.22nd13.7

2023 In 2023, Chris Stewart resigned as the representative of Utah's 2nd congressional district, prompting a special election on November 21. January Walker, the party's nominee for the 4th district in 2022, won the United Utah Party's nominating convention, placing 5th in the special election with 2,856 votes and 1.81%.

2024 Candidates NameOfficeVotes%PositionMargin with winnerVaughn CookUS Representative - CD417,3474.773rd of 458.65Michelle QuistState Attorney General 103,8317.163rd of 550.60Cabot NelsonState Representative - HD234811.933rd of 369.73Dennis RoachState Representative - HD345192.493rd of 360.47John JacksonState Representative - HD404833.123rd of 354.22Dave LundgrenState Representative - HD475,034 24.922nd of 250.16Alex DayState Representative - HD533,94319.982nd of 260.04Zeno ParryState Representative - HD701,3996.692nd of 286.62Alan WessmanUtah County Commissioner61,60422.812nd of 254.38Tori BroughtonWasatch County Councilor69024.252nd of 329.70

2026 Candidates NameOfficeVotes%PositionMargin with winnerJanuary WalkerUS Representative - CD1Julie QuinlanState Senator - SD1Josh SmithState Senator - SD6J. Lowry SnowState Senator - SD9Emily Buss (incumbent)State Senator - SD11Colin SmithState Senator - SD13Annette McraeState Senator - SD20Wayne WoodfieldState Senator - SD21Ben ShawState Representative - HD3James RichState Representative - HD6Libby SheltonState Representative - HD8Shawn FerriolaState Representative - HD12Tony De MilleState Representative - HD13Kimberly WagnerState Representative - HD17Cabot W. NelsonState Representative - HD23Travis AlicoState Representative - HD26Jeffrey MarshallState Representative - HD27Wales NematollahiState Representative - HD28Tynley BeanState Representative - HD29John JacksonState Representative - HD40John BoydState Representative - HD53Julie SmithState Representative - HD63Zeno ParryState Representative - HD70

Elected officials Utah State Senate Senator Emily Buss, 11th district (2025–present) Municipal Provo School Board Teri McCabe

See also Forward Independence Party

Notes

References

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