Republicans line up to replace state senator tapped for spot in new Cox administration

Seven Republicans are in the running to replace Sen. Dan Hemmert, R-Orem, in the Utah Senate when he leaves in January to join Gov.-elect Spencer Cox’s administration.The contenders for the soon-to-be vacant Senate District 14 seat include former Rep. Mike Kennedy, a former U.S. Senate candidate who lost to Mitt Romney in the 2018 GOP primary.While Kennedy is the only former legislator in the mix, there are other hopefuls who have close ties to Utah’s political community.Staci Carrol