Q&A: Ben McAdams on his primary victory, Trump and the road to November
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call
We caught up with former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams just moments after his primary win for Utah's newly drawn 1st Congressional District on Tuesday.
State of play: He now faces GOP challenger Riley Owen, an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve, in November.
Of note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Here's what McAdams told us:
What was the hardest challenge you faced in this primary race?
"We just focused on taking our message directly to the voters. At the end of the day, they're the ones that matter. Campaigns can get divisive, and for me, I prioritize staying above the fray and really believe that what voters care about is my ideas to help them address the challenges that they're struggling with."
What about your campaign do you think resonated with primary voters?
"I talked to primary voters about the need for political courage, and in these scary times that we're in ... we see Donald Trump dismantling our democracy. We see ICE on the street of American cities. People are afraid, and this is a time where we need leaders who can show courage. Courage is to stand up and to do what's right, no matter the cost, to stand up to power, to stand up to authoritarianism and to prioritize our conscience and the Constitution above any cost that they might pay. "
President Trump has been known to retaliate against his political enemies. You voted to impeach him. If elected, how do you plan to work with him?
"I'm going to do what's right for the people of Utah — no matter the cost. I've done it before, and I'll do it again. When Donald Trump is doing actions that violate the Constitution ... I will be a check on his power. If Zohran Mamdani can work with Donald Trump, then to save the Great Salt Lake, I'll work with him, too."
How do you plan to maintain this momentum heading into November?
"The race isn't over. Our real work starts tomorrow. We're going to take our message directly to the voters in the general election. This district is 25% registered Democrat, 35% registered Republican, and the rest are unaffiliated voters that belong to other parties. So nobody's going to win this race in November unless we can build a coalition that crosses party lines."