Utah political experts mull over who will vie for Rep. Stewart's seat

• Meanwhile, state Attorney General Sean Reyes considered running against Romney in the 2024 GOP primary, per a Politico report from last year that cited a person familiar with his plans.
• Although Romney filed a declaration of candidacy, he has not yet announced whether he'll run for a second term.

What they're saying: "I predict that we will see a couple of those potential candidates for Senate now shifting their eyes to this open House race," Jason Perry, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah, told Axios Salt Lake City.

• Kirk Jowers, the former director of the Hinckley Institute, listed former state Rep. Kim Coleman, who ran and lost in Utah's U.S. House District 4 GOP primary race in 2020; Corey Norman, chief of staff for U.S. Rep. John Curtis; and Henry C. Eyring, an assistant professor at Duke University and the son of BYU-Idaho’s outgoing president, as potential contenders.

The big picture: Perry said the most competitive candidate will be someone with a deep understanding of the district's distinct urban and rural mix.

• "I think you're gonna see people looking outside of the Wasatch Front," Carson Jorgensen, former state Republican Party chair, told Axios.
• Jorgensen said Utah Republican Party vice chair Jordan Hess, who lives in Washington County, could be "fairly successful" if he ran.
• Among possible southern Utah contenders, Damon Cann, head of the political science department at Utah State University, said he could see Washington County Commission chair Victor Iverson and former St. George Mayor Jon Pike "throw their hats in."

Of note: As long as it's within the state, the U.S. Constitution does not require a member of Congress to live in their district.

Reality check: Former state Rep. Becky Edwards, a Republican, told KSL NewsRadio yesterday she planned to run for Stewart’s soon-to-be-vacant seat.

• “My entire life I’ve looked for opportunities to serve; this is just another one,” she said.
• State Sen. Todd Weiler (R-Woods Cross) told FOX 13 he would consider running and would "make a decision in the next couple of days."

What's next: Gov. Spencer Cox will have seven days after the vacancy occurs to schedule a primary election.

What we're watching: Who Stewart endorses as his successor.