SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, May 4, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah State Rep. Phil Lyman, Republican challenger for Gov. Spencer Cox‘s seat, has announced a new running mate.
The move comes just one day after Lyman’s initial choice for Lieutenant Governor, Layne Bangerter, was declared ineligible due to constitutional residency restrictions. Lyman’s new pick is attorney Natalie Clawson.
“I am thrilled to be joined by Natalie in this campaign,” Lyman said in an announcement posted Saturday morning on X. “She brings an impressive skill set, connections, integrity, and experience to the office that will be vital as we move Utah back to the right direction.”
Clawson was also quoted in the news release:
“The energy surrounding Phil Lyman’s campaign is contagious throughout the state,” she wrote. “I am honored to be part of it and can’t wait to get to work. Utahns are done with politicians who don’t listen. I will be a champion for parents and for individual rights. We are committed to supporting the values that make our state great.”
Clawson is a Utah County native and graduated from BYU with a B.S. in Political Science and a Juris Doctorate degree, Lyman’s news release says. She was admitted to the Utah State Bar in 2003.
“With a deep love of America, Natalie has been involved with politics in various capacities at the local grassroots level. As a sponsor of the Secure Vote Utah initiative, Natalie will bring more transparency to our election systems in the lieutenant governor’s office,” the release says.
“Natalie has researched and published on issues related to law and religious freedom. She worked for BYU’s Center for International Law and Religion Studies. Through this work she has become a strong defender of the First Amendment and religious freedom.
“Serving in her school community as a PTA and School Community Council member, Natalie has had opportunities to advise on educational policies and to actively fight to support and protect our children. Natalie and her husband Craig are the parents of five children. They currently reside in Highland.”
On April 27 at the Salt Palace, the GOP convention, Lyman forced Cox into a primary taking 67.54% of the vote, with Cox winning 32.46%. Lyman currently represents District 69, which includes parts of counties including Emery, Garfield, Grand, Kane, San Juan and Wayne.
Cox still qualified for the race by gathering enough signatures to be placed on the ballot. A recent poll by Noble Predictive Insights shows Cox with a commanding lead over Lyman and other would-be contenders. According the findings, “At 51% support, Governor Cox crossed the coveted 50% threshold in this poll, giving him a 12:1 advantage over his opponents. No other candidate nears double-digit support with the closest competitors, Phil Lyman and Scott Robbins, at 4%. A little over one-third (37%) of voters remain undecided.”
Cox’s domination of the primary is even more powerful when the polling focuses on registered Utah “Republicans who have formed an opinion” about the race. The poll, conducted April 8 to April 16, shows Cox with 81% support of those GOP voters compared to just 6% for Lyman.
