State Sen. Nate Blouin (D-Salt Lake City) joins the show to discuss his bid for Congress in Utah's new 1st Congressional District created by Judge Diana Gibson's ruling last month.
WHY HE'S RUNNING
Blouin positions himself as a fighter with a track record of pushing back against the supermajority. He says the new D+14 district aligns with his progressive values and sees an opportunity to be part of a potential Democratic House majority in 2026. "People want fighters right now. People are frustrated with what they're seeing out of DC."
WHAT A DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY COULD DO
Even with a Republican Senate and Trump in the White House, Blouin says Democrats could hold the line through oversight — including personally investigating the ICE facility in West Valley City. He points to Trump's approval rating (around 35%) and says the priority would be slowing authoritarian overreach while pushing popular policies like Medicare for All and a higher minimum wage.
THE YOUTH MOVEMENT
Blouin sees energy in Utah's young Democratic bench and invokes Zohran Mamdani's campaign style as a model — high-energy, ground-focused, authentic. He won his state Senate primary by 50 points in 2022 through door-knocking and plans to bring that same approach to a compact congressional district.
PATHWAY TO THE NOMINATION
"We're gonna win convention and we're gonna gather signatures. That's the plan."
Blouin's website: nateforutah.com
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