Race Rating Change: Utah House 56

Not that we really need to point this out, but the arrest of Democratic candidate Mark Byrge basically torpedoes his chances of upsetting Republican Rep. Kay Christofferson come November.

Byrge, who didn’t have much of a chance to begin with, really has zero shot of winning his Utah County seat now that he’s been charged with pistol whipping another man in a dispute over drugs.

It will be a major shock if Byrge comes within 15 points of Christofferson at the polls.

Previous rating: Solid Republican

New rating: Safe Republican

See our complete list of 2014 race ratings here.