Bernie Sanders Endorses Utah State Sen. Nate Blouin for Congress
TL/DR –
Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders endorsed Democratic state Sen. Nate Blouin for a congressional seat in Utah’s newly formed Democratic-majority district. Blouin is competing with five other Democrats for the seat in Utah’s 1st Congressional District, which is the first in the state to be competitive or favor Democrats in decades. The new congressional boundaries were implemented following a series of decisions by the Utah Supreme Court and a district judge in a lawsuit alleging non-compliance with a 2018 approved independent redistricting law.
Ex-presidential candidate Bernie Sanders endorses Democratic candidate Nate Blouin for Congress
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sen. Bernie Sanders speaking at a rally at the University of Utah on April 13, 2025.
Several months prior, Democratic state Sen. Nate Blouin rallied thousands in anticipation of hearing from Bernie Sanders. On Friday, Sanders, the U.S. senator from Vermont, urged Utahns, particularly those in Utah’s new Democratic-majority congressional district, to send Blouin to Washington.
“We need members of Congress brave enough to demand that billionaires pay their fair share of taxes,” Sanders said in a Blouin campaign statement announcing the endorsement. “State Senator Nate Blouin is that fighter. His stance with working Americans, not powerful corporations and oligarchs, makes him the clear choice.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sen. Nate Blouin, D-Salt Lake City, in a special session of the Legislature, Aug. 21, 2024.
Blouin recently joined a crowded field of candidates for Utah’s new 1st Congressional District. Blouin, a first-term state senator, represents regions in Salt Lake and will renounce his Senate seat for the congressional bid.
Blouin, a communications consultant for environmental nonprofits advocating for renewable energy, is vying to represent a district that became competitive for Democrats due to a court ruling invoking a voter-approved independent redistricting law. Lawmakers have announced plans to appeal the ruling.
“I’m honored to receive Sen. Sanders’ endorsement for Utah’s 1st District,” Blouin stated. “Voters now have a clear choice between the status quo and a new path.”
Running against Blouin are five Democrats, including Ben McAdams, the last Utah Democrat in Washington, and state senator Kathleen Riebe.
Sanders, one of Congress’ most progressive members, visited Salt Lake City in April pushing back against Trump’s policy agenda in a tour titled “Fighting Oligarchy.” Sanders has seen broad support among Utah Democrats, having won 80% of the vote against Hillary Clinton in 2016, and defeated Joe Biden with 36% of the vote in 2020.
Blouin remains a fervent supporter of Sanders, recognizing his bold vision that prioritizes ordinary Americans, “He continues to be a national voice for working people against an oligarch class steering our government off course,” stated Blouin.
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