Liban Mohamed, the 27-year-old son of Somali immigrants, has emerged as a progressive underdog in Utah's Democratic primary for the first congressional district. He secured 51% of the vote at the state party convention last month, an upset that has exposed growing divisions within the state's Democratic Party between moderates and progressives.
Mohamed defeated former congressman Ben McAdams at the convention, though both will face off again in the June primary. Other candidates include state senator Nate Blouin and attorney Michael Farrell, all of whom qualified via signatures. Mohamed, who previously worked in public policy at Meta and TikTok, said his rise reflects frustration with the failure to represent working-class and immigrant communities.
Born in a small Utah town, Mohamed draws parallels between his family's refugee experience and the history of the state's Latter-day Saint community. 'In a lot of ways, many people here see themselves as refugees,' he said. 'So when they see families coming from places like where mine came from, seeking asylum, they have a soft place in their hearts.'
The primary race has been marked by controversy. Blouin faced backlash over resurfaced online posts containing jokes about sexual assault and slurs, while Salt Lake City council member Eva Lopez Chavez was accused of unwanted sexual advances, allegations she denied. Both were eliminated in early rounds of convention voting.
Mohamed's candidacy comes after a landmark anti-gerrymandering ruling redrew the district, creating a more compact, Democratic-leaning seat centred on Salt Lake County. The district is diverse, with 60,000 refugees, 60,000 Muslims and nearly 120,000 Latinx residents. Despite his convention win, Mohamed polls in single digits, while McAdams and Blouin hold double-digit leads and significant fundraising advantages.
