The recount between LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, and Democrat Suzanne Harrison gave Christensen two additional votes, bringing his margin of victory in the razor-thin race to 5.
On election night, Harrison had a lead over Christensen in their House District 32 contest. After all of the absentee ballots were counted, Christensen won by just three votes. Harrison filed for a recount because the margin of victory was within .025 percent.
With the confirmed victory by Christensen, Democrats only had a net gain of one seat in the Utah House this year. Democrat Karen Kwan defeated Republican Macade Jensen to win the open seat previously held by Rep. Johnny Anderson, R-Taylorsville. Democrat Elizabeth Weight beat Rep. Sophia DiCaro, R-West Valley City, to regain control of the seat previously held by Democrat Larry Wiley.
Those two victories were blunted by the loss of the only Democrat-controlled seat outside of Salt Lake County when Rep. Brad King, D-Price, fell to Christine Watkins. Watkins previously served in the Utah House as a Democrat. She even held a spot in Democratic leadership before she lost and switched parties.
The close loss to Christensen is particularly stinging for Democrats. Christensen is not on any Democratic Christmas card lists for his conservative positions on social issues. He was the author of Amendment 3, which banned same-sex marriage. This prohibition was later overturned by a federal judge.
Harrison could still challenge the results of the election in court.
With Christensen’s win, the partisan makeup of the House sits at 62 Republicans and 13 Democrats.
