If you’ve lived in Utah for more than five minutes, you know our state politics can feel a bit like a family dinner where everyone is trying to be polite, but there’s some serious drama simmering under the surface. The office of the Attorney General is basically the epicenter of that drama. For years, it felt like the seat was permanently attached to Sean Reyes, but everything shifted recently.
Last year, the race for Utah attorney general candidates blew wide open. Honestly, it was a mess for a while. You had investigations, arguments over public calendars, and a general feeling that the office needed a massive "factory reset."
The Guy in the Big Chair: Derek Brown
Let's talk about the man who actually won the thing. Derek Brown took the oath on January 7, 2025. He’s a Republican, which isn't a shocker in Utah, but his path there was pretty interesting. He’s not just some random lawyer; the guy was the former chair of the Utah Republican Party and served in the State House.
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He won the general election with about 58% of the vote. That sounds like a landslide, but if you look at the primary, it was a total dogfight. He actually came in third during the first round of the Republican convention.
Think about that.
The delegates originally wanted Frank Mylar or Rachel Terry. But Brown played the long game, survived the primary, and eventually convinced the broader public that he was the "safe" pair of hands needed to fix the office's reputation.
His whole platform is built on three main pillars:
- Pushing back against the feds. He’s obsessed (in a legal way) with federal overreach, especially regarding Utah’s land and energy.
- Protecting kids. This usually translates to going after Big Tech and social media companies.
- Internal cleanup. He wants the AG’s office to act like a "prestigious law firm" rather than a political clubhouse.
The Field He Had to Beat
To understand where we’re going, you sort of have to look at who else was in the running. It wasn't just a two-person race.
Rudy Bautista was the Democratic challenger. He’s a defense attorney and a former Merchant Marine. He brought a very different energy—focused heavily on criminal justice reform and police presence on the streets to stop road rage. He pulled in about 27% of the vote, which is respectable for a Democrat in a deep-red state, but he couldn't quite break through the GOP stronghold.
Then you had Michelle Quist. She ran under the United Utah Party banner. She’s a powerhouse litigator who worked for the late Senator Orrin Hatch. Her whole thing was "untethering" the office from party politics. She argued that the AG shouldn't be a partisan cheerleader. She got about 7% of the vote, which actually says a lot about how many Utahns are tired of the red-vs-blue bickering.
Don't forget the outliers:
- Andrew McCullough (Libertarian): A man who has practiced law in Utah for over 50 years. He’s the guy you talk to if you want to discuss the Bill of Rights for three hours straight.
- Austin Hepworth (Independent): A father of eight who just wanted the law applied fairly without the political circus.
Why the AG Race Actually Matters to You
Most people think the Attorney General just sits in an office signing papers. Wrong.
The AG is the state’s "top cop," but they’re also the state’s lead lawyer. When Utah sues the federal government over who owns the land in Bears Ears or Grand Staircase-Escalante, that’s the AG’s office doing the heavy lifting.
If the AG decides they don't like a specific federal mandate—say, something involving Title IX or environmental regulations—they can file a lawsuit that costs taxpayers millions. Or saves them millions. It depends on who you ask.
The 2024-2025 cycle was obsessed with transparency. The previous administration had some "oopsie" moments with public records and work calendars. That’s why you saw every single one of the Utah attorney general candidates promising to post their schedules online. We’re in a "trust but verify" era now.
What’s Next for Utah Law?
Since Derek Brown’s term runs until January 2029, we aren't going to see another massive campaign cycle for a couple of years. But the "invisible" campaign is already happening.
Potential future candidates are watching how Brown handles the "Big Tech" lawsuits. If he wins, he’s a hero. If he spends millions and loses, the challengers will be lining up at the 2028 convention before he can even finish his lunch.
Watch the names of people currently in the state legislature or prominent county prosecutors. Those are your future Utah attorney general candidates. People like Rachel Terry or Frank Mylar haven't necessarily gone away; they’re just back in the private sector or other government roles, waiting for the next opening.
Actionable Steps for Utah Voters
Politics isn't a spectator sport, even if it feels like a bad reality show sometimes. Here is what you should actually do to stay informed:
- Check the Calendar: Go to the official AG website. See if Derek Brown is actually keeping his promise to be transparent. If his calendar is blank or "private," that’s a red flag.
- Follow the Land Lawsuits: Keep an eye on any litigation regarding Utah’s public lands. This is the biggest money-sink and the biggest potential win for the state.
- Monitor "Big Tech" Actions: The office is currently very active in suing social media companies over mental health impacts on kids. See if these lawsuits actually result in changes or if they’re just headlines.
- Voter Registration: Even though the next AG race is years away, Utah’s 2026 midterms will feature legislative races that determine the budget the AG has to work with. Make sure your registration is current at vote.utah.gov.
The office of the Attorney General is finally moving out of the shadow of past scandals. Whether it stays in the light depends entirely on how much we, the voters, actually pay attention to the work being done between elections.