Republican David Shallenberger and Democrat Joshua Sorensen are both looking to take over the open seat to represent Utah’s House District 58. Longtime Republican lawmaker Keven Stratton vacated his seat in the House to run for Utah Senate.
Shallenberger sought the Republican nomination for Stratton’s seat in 2020 but lost the primary race by a narrow margin. Sorensen ran unopposed this year for the Democratic nomination in his first campaign for state office.
The Salt Lake Tribune submitted the same set of questions, based on top issues readers said they were watching in this election, to each candidate. The questions and their answers that appear below — with the candidates listed in alphabetical order — may have been edited slightly for length, style or grammar. The questions were sent to candidates before a Utah judge voided multiple amendments from ballots.
Utah’s largest electricity provider has canceled plans to replace its coal-fired power plants with nuclear power and has walked back comments about investing in clean energy. Should Utah be looking for more sustainable and less fossil fuel and carbon-dependent energy sources? If so, how?
David Shallenberger: Did not answer.
Joshua Sorensen: No. The processes that we use in burning fossil fuels provide for a much cleaner and environmentally friendly system than previously.
Water scarcity continues to be a challenge for the state. Recent legislation has attempted to conserve water and to get more water to the Great Salt Lake and Colorado River. Should Utah do more to subsidize homeowners’ efforts to conserve water? What other steps should be taken to deal with water scarcity?
Shallenberger: Did not answer.
Sorensen: Yes. Encouraging and permitting Utah residents to use natural and native plants in landscaping will reduce our water requirements.
What policy changes would you support to address Utah’s affordable housing crisis?
Shallenberger: Did not answer.
Sorensen: Stop subsidizing corporate housing developments that cater to the rich and leave our residents in a perpetual cycle of renting.
Following the Utah Supreme Court’s recent decision to keep a near-total abortion ban blocked, anti-abortion lawmakers and advocates called for additional legislative action to circumvent the court-ordered injunction. Would you support banning abortion after six weeks?
Shallenberger: Did not answer.
Sorensen: No.
Would you support a state constitutional amendment to ban abortion?
Shallenberger: Did not answer.
Sorensen: No.
Should there be other restrictions on reproductive health care — especially fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization?
Shallenberger: Did not answer.
Sorensen: No. Reproductive health care should be made available for all.
Are you voting for or against the constitutional amendment that removes the requirement that income taxes be used for education and social services? Why?
Shallenberger: Did not answer.
Sorensen: Against. The Legislature has progressively chipped away at our vital spending needs while funding pet projects. I don’t trust our Legislature to work as a body to protect our education system.
A Utah judge has voided Amendment D and said votes for or against it cannot be counted, but the state is appealing. Do you support changing the Utah Constitution to guarantee that the Legislature can repeal or amend ballot initiatives?
Shallenberger: Did not answer.
Sorensen: No.
