In Utah’s Senate District 29, Democrat Deidra Ritchhart is trying to upset Sen. Don Ipson, who has been in the Legislature for nearly 16 years and is currently the Senate vice-chair of the Legislature’s budget committee.
Ipson narrowly held off Republican challenger Chad Bennion, a former legislator, to win the Republican nomination and now hopes to win four more years in the Utah Senate against Ritchhart, a first-time candidate focused on criminal justice issues.
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?
Ipson: Did not respond.
Ritchhart: Yes.
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?
Ipson: Did not respond.
Ritchhart: Yes.
What policy changes would you support to address Utah’s affordable housing crisis?
Ipson: Did not respond.
Ritchhart: I would put a limit on how many resorts, hotels and vacation homes we can have in our bigger cities and focus more on how we can manage vacant buildings. We can turn vacant buildings into affordable housing or bring back government programs.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sen. Don Ipson, R-St. George, in the Senate Chamber in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023.
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?
Ipson: Did not respond.
Ritchhart: No.
Would you support a state constitutional amendment to ban abortion?
Ipson: Did not respond.
Ritchhart: No.
Should there be other restrictions on reproductive health care — especially fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization?
Ipson: Did not respond.
Ritchhart: No.
Are you voting for or against the constitutional amendment that removes the requirement that income taxes be used for education and social services? Why?
Ipson: Did not respond.
Ritchhart: Income taxes should be used for education and social services. Education is very important. Income taxes can also be used for certain mental health programs to prevent crime and homelessness.
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?
Ipson: Did not respond.
Ritchhart: No.
