MEET DEREK
ABOUT DEREK
Utah is my home. It’s shaped my values, grounded my work, and taught me what community means.
I grew up here, and as a small business owner, former state Senator, and someone who faced adversity I want to fight for you. I know what rising cost and unaffordability look like- because I lived it.
I’ve watched medical bills pile up from my little brother’s battle with lymphoma at 12, where the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) kept him alive. When I was homeless after surviving domestic violence and couldn’t rely on my parents, Utah’s teachers and schools gave me a path forward to become the first in my family to graduate college.
This is why I’ve always fought for those forgotten BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE FORGOTTEN – BUT I NEVER GIVE UP!
I GET THE DAMN THING DONE.
It’s time for me to give back what Utah has given to me.
In 2013, I sued the Governor and Attorney General in the landmark case, Kitchen v. Herbert, that made Utah the first state in America where a federal court required recognition of same-sex marriage. That win helped set the stage for marriage equality across the country. It showed the nation what I already knew – UTAH CAN LEAD.
I carried that same belief into public office. On the Salt Lake City Council and in the Utah State Senate, I fought for affordable housing, sustainable growth, equality and dignity for every Utahn, and economic development that actually benefits working families - standing proudly with organized labor along the way.
Look- we don’t need Ivy League politicians telling us why the system is rigged, you need a fighter. As a gay legislator in America and a progressive in the red-state of Utah- I know how to work across the aisle and stand firm when it matters.
Most recently, I served in the Biden Administration as Senior Vice President at the Export-Import bank, where I worked at the intersection of economic diplomacy, trade policy, and national security for Utahns!
Some of the most important lessons I’ve learned don’t come from government or politics. They come from owning a small business in Salt Lake and you all!
IT ALL STARTS AT THE KITCHEN TABLE – from building community to nourishing people of Salt Lake at my beloved restaurant for over a decade, I’ve learned grit, humility, and the power of service through every dish. It teaches you how to care for people and not just a living wage- but bringing people together.
Now, Utah has a newly drawn district – a strong, solidly Democratic district – and for the first time in a generation, we have the chance to elect a progressive leader who reflects the values of the people who live here and who has what it takes to fight back against Donald Trump and the MAGA Republican agenda.
I’ve always fought for the issues that matter, even when it’s tough. I’m ready to carry that fight all the way to Congress.
Let’s get this fight finished and let’s build a better Utah, together.
