Former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams has won the Democratic nomination for Utah's 1st Congressional District race, per the Associated Press.

Why it matters: The primary victory positions McAdams for a political comeback in a newly drawn, court-ordered district that Democrats are heavily favored to win in November, potentially ending Utah's all-GOP House delegation.

The big picture: McAdams vied for the nomination in a four-way primary against three progressive candidates: state Sen. Nate Blouin (D-Salt Lake City), political newcomer Liban Mohamed, and tax attorney Michael Farrell.

• McAdams centered his campaign on improving affordability and touted his vote to impeach President Trump during his first term.

The latest: He held an overwhelming lead in preliminary results.

What they're saying: "Utahns deserve someone who has already shown the courage to stand up and to speak with conviction when the pressure is real," McAdams said at his Election Night watch party in Salt Lake City yesterday.

Flashback: McAdams was the last Democrat to represent Utah in Congress, serving from 2019 to 2021.

• He narrowly unseated then-U.S. Rep. Mia Love in the 2018 election, but lost his reelection bid to retired NFL player Burgess Owens in 2020.
• Before heading to Washington, he served as Salt Lake County mayor and as a state senator.

Zoom in: McAdams, known for his moderate record in Congress, drew criticism for backing anti-Trump independent Evan McMullin in the 2022 Senate race against incumbent GOP Sen. Mike Lee over fellow Democrat Kael Weston.

• Democratic Party delegates declined to field their own candidate that year, instead throwing their support behind McMullin.
• Progressive opponents also repeatedly targeted McAdams over his moderate politics.
• At the Democratic state convention in April, he failed to secure delegates' support, narrowly losing to Mohamed.

By the numbers: McAdams was the leading fundraiser throughout the race, gathering nearly $2 million in total contributions.

What we're watching: McAdams will face GOP candidate Riley Owen, an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve, in November.

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Incumbents were victorious in Utah's Republican congressional primaries last night.

Why it matters: The AP reports U.S. Reps. Blake Moore and Celeste Maloy both survived challenges from the right in deep red districts, suggesting the Utah GOP's MAGA swing may have reached its limit.

The intrigue: Moore defeated state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee despite Republicans' consternation over his support in 2018 for Proposition 4, the anti-gerrymandering initiative that led to the creation of Utah's newly blue District 1.

Zoom in: Moore also withstood Lisonbee's efforts to harness public opposition to the massive data center planned in District 2.

• Moore hasn't explicitly opposed the project, instead calling for more discussion between stakeholders.

Between the lines: The data center was ushered in by state, not federal, officials.

Meanwhile, Maloy defeated former state Rep. Phil Lyman.

Reality check: Maloy herself is MAGA-aligned, having twice received President Trump's endorsement, and doesn't differ drastically from Lyman on policy.

Yes, but: Lyman, a Cliven Bundy acolyte who was pardoned by Trump in 2020 after a conviction for illegally leading an ATV ride into a protected canyon, is a well-known partisan firebrand.

• He won at the GOP convention during the 2024 gubernatorial race and has a devoted following on the right.

Zoom out: U.S. Rep. Mike Kennedy was uncontested in the GOP primary for District 4.

What's next: All three GOP incumbents are expected to keep their seats.

• Their districts became even more safely Republican after the state was redistricted last year.

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Senate President Stuart Adams conceded his reelection bid last night after early results showed him falling behind GOP primary challenger Stephanie Hollist.

The big picture: Adams, who has served in the Senate for nearly two decades, is one of the state's most powerful politicians and faced his first-ever primary this year, per Utah News Dispatch.

• "I congratulate my opponent on their victory and wish them every success as they continue the important work of serving the people of Utah," he said in a statement to multiple media outlets.

Catch up quick: Adams faced criticism after Utah's Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), which he chairs, pushed to advance the controversial data center development in Box Elder County.

State of play: Hollist previously worked as general counsel for Weber State University.

Zoom out: Adams isn't alone in being overtaken by an intraparty challenger.

• State Sen. Dan McCay (R-Riverton) conceded, per KSL, after trailing state Rep. Doug Fiefia (R-Herriman) by a wide margin.
• State Rep. Trevor Lee (R-Layton) also lagged behind Davis County Commissioner Bob Stevenson and congratulated his opponent in a social media post.

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🐰 Wild rabbits in Summit and Tooele Counties recently died from rabbit hemorrhagic disease, a highly infectious, lethal virus first found in the United States in 2020. (Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)

• The contagion could affect predators that depend on rabbits as prey, like bobcats and eagles.

🚨 In a murder charge filed last week and unsealed yesterday, a former youth pastor from Las Vegas is accused of pushing his wife off Angel's Landing in Zion National Park nearly 20 years ago. (Utah court records)

⚖️ A federal lawsuit over Bears Ears National Monument is back in play after an appeals court ruled yesterday that Utah and its counties can try to challenge presidential monument protections made under the Antiquities Act. (FOX 13)

🔥 Utahns with health sensitivities should avoid spending time outdoors as wildfire smoke fills the air. (KSL)

Bricks Corner in Sugar House is one of my go-to Election Night pizza spots for its crispy crust and stretchy cheese.

State of play: Election Night pizza is a long-standing newsroom tradition. It's easy, quick, and feeds you in a pinch.

You tell us: If you have suggestions for where we should go in November, hit reply to this email.