By McKenzie Romero | Editor
As primary elections played out across Utah last week, all eyes were on a blue dot in the deep red state.
Ben McAdams, the last Democrat to represent Utah in Congress, is likely on his way back to the beltway after solidly beating out three progressive candidates in the race for the state’s new 1st Congressional District. But what does his win actually tell us about how far left voters in the state are willing to go?
In today’s Dispatch we unpack the energy and turnout around the state’s highly watched Democratic primary, the deaths of three wildland firefighters rocking Utah and Colorado, and the growing use of artificial intelligence in policing.
“Now, Ben did very well, as he should have. He’s well financed. He’s a good candidate. He did well. But he owes a lot also to the Republicans and the independents who crossed the ballot, crossed to the Democratic ballot, to vote.” — Frank Pignanelli, a political adviser at Foxley & Pignanelli and a former Democratic lawmaker, on what he sees in Ben McAdams’ primary election win.
Congressional candidate Ben McAdams speaks with reporters at his campaign’s primary election watch party in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (Photo by Marco Lozzi for Utah News Dispatch)
By Alixel Cabrera
Ben McAdams, who during his time representing Utah in the U.S. House was labeled one of the most conservative Democrats in the chamber, is poised to win by far the party’s spot on the ballot for the 1st Congressional District. Even adding up all the votes for his challengers, who ran on more progressive platforms, McAdams would have secured his victory with 52% of votes.
However, pundits say, in deep red Utah, there’s a little nuance to those numbers, and that’s because Democratic primaries are open to all voters in the area regardless of their party affiliation. Of the 7,500 people who requested a mail-in Democratic ballot, about 6,700 lived in District 1.
A plane drops fire retardant as firefighters respond to a series of lightning-caused fires along the Utah-Colorado border. (Screenshot of video by Gordon Ruble/U.S. Wildland Fire Service)
By McKenzie Romero
Three U.S. Wildland Fire Service and U.S. Forest Service firefighters were killed and two others injured in a burnover incident as they battled an outbreak of several lightning-caused fires along the Utah-Colorado border on Saturday.
A burnover incident occurs when flames overtake firefighters or equipment. The Department of the Interior reported the firefighters deployed a fire shelter as the flames moved in. The two firefighters who survived sustained burn injuries. On Sunday, governors from Utah and Colorado mourned the deaths even as firefighting efforts continued across both states.
A police officer’s body-camera footage is transcribed directly into the ReportAI interface developed by software company Mark43. (Photo courtesy of Mark43)
By Amanda Watford
As law enforcement agencies increasingly embrace artificial intelligence, some civil liberties advocates, legal scholars and policing experts warn that the technology could amplify surveillance, introduce hidden biases into investigations and make it harder to challenge evidence in court. They also worry about a future in which AI takes on a more active role in policing and criminal investigations.
AI in policing is not new. For decades, law enforcement agencies have used data-driven and automated tools, including facial recognition systems, automated license plate readers, predictive policing models and video analytics that can flag objects or activity in recorded footage. What is changing is the speed, scope and complexity of those tools.
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