After dancing around the idea for a few days, Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck has decided not to run for the SD2 seat being vacated by Sen. Jim Dabakis.
UtahPolicy.com reported last week that Chavez-Houck, who is retiring from the Utah House, was mulling a run for the State Senate. On Friday she authored a post on Facebook that she just didn’t have the passion to run for the Senate this year.
I’ve tried my best to be an effective and tireless representative over the past ten years, not only for the constituents of my district, but for many others in our state who often feel that their representatives do not reflect their point of view. I’ve not been perfect by any means, but I have done my level best. I have loved this work.
Could I continue? Do I have the skills, acumen, respect of legislative colleagues, gravitas? I think I do.
What don’t I have?
Desire. Fire in the belly.
Chavez-Houck said she plans to continue her political activism outside of the legislature, focusing on changing Utah’s electoral system, patient choice for the terminally ill, and environmental justice.
Dabakis’ decision to not run for another term puts the Senate seat for that part of Salt Lake City up for grabs for the first time in two decades. Paula Julander won the election for the seat in 2002. She resigned from the seat for health reasons in 2005. Scott McCoy was appointed to fill that vacancy. McCoy resigned in 2009, and Ben McAdams was appointed by Democratic delegates to replace him. McAdams resigned in 2012 after he won the election for Salt Lake County Mayor in 2012, and Jim Dabakis was appointed to replace him.
Former University of Utah professor Tim Chambless and Nadia Mahallati have already filed to gather signatures to get on the Democratic ballot to replace Dabakis.
