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Democrat

Kathleen Riebe

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Democrat

Kathleen Riebe

Website

UT-01 Democratic nominee?

$61.9K

JUN 30, 2026

Primary Election

Party selects its nominee.

6 more

Overview

Current roleState Senator

PartyDemocratic

Political ideologyProgressive Democrat

GenderFemale

LocationUtah

BackgroundUtah state senator

EducationHofstra University (BA)

Notable personal detailsKathleen Ann Riebe is a Utah state senator and Democratic politician. She has served in the Utah Senate since 2019 (District 8 from 2019–2023; District 15 from 2023–present). She previously served on the Utah State Board of Education and has worked in education, including as an educational technology specialist in the Granite School District.

SourcesShow

en.wikipedia.org vote.utah.gov saltlakecounty.gov senate.utah.gov vote-usa.org thecandidate.com developer.ballotpedia.org ballotclarity.org data.ballotpedia.org nucenter.org govprofiles.com spider.cloud secure.actblue.com fec.gov daggettcounty.gov utah.gov reddit.com riebeforcongress.com sltrib.com ksl.com ballotready.org le.utah.gov kathleenriebe.com standard.net utahnewsdispatch.com fox13now.com heraldextra.com kuer.org fastdemocracy.com kutv.com utahpolitics.news deseret.com thehill.com facebook.com instagram.com wikidata.org legislation.ballotpedia.org voterguide.ballotpedia.org usc-cdn.house.gov cdn.ballotpedia.org votesmart.org

Positions

LiberalConservative

Economy & Taxes

No clear, detailed public position on tax rates or major tax reforms is documented; publicly stated priorities emphasize lowering costs for families, protecting education funding, and curbing the power of billionaires and special interests. Legislative actions show opposition to budget cuts for higher education and opposition to removing an income-tax earmark for education.

Healthcare

Supports expanding Medicaid and increasing coverage to lower costs and improve access; prioritizes lowering health-care premiums and protecting affordability for families. Advocates preventive and extended care (including postpartum support) and opposes cuts to rural health-care services.

Immigration & Border

The candidate expresses concern about immigration impacts on communities and opposes militarized responses such as calling out the National Guard to confront people who speak Spanish. Her statements emphasize public safety and humanitarian concerns rather than expansion of enforcement. Public remarks frame immigration as a community and human-rights issue rather than advocating for stricter border militarization or large-scale deportations.

Abortion & Reproductive Rights

Supports reproductive freedom and has opposed legislative bans on abortion; has proposed and supported measures to preserve access and protect exceptions (for rape, incest, and medical emergencies) while criticizing requirements that further restrict care. Has run campaign messaging defending abortion access and has voted against bills that would implement stricter abortion prohibitions.

Climate & Energy

States support for protecting public lands and responsibly managing natural resources and has sponsored/served on legislation and committees related to transportation and fuel taxes, but public materials provide only general environmental language without clear, specific climate or energy policy commitments.

Public Safety & Guns

The candidate supports targeted gun-safety measures and restrictions in certain circumstances while acknowledging lawful gun ownership; she has proposed and backed measures to limit where or how firearms are carried (including seeking exclusions for populous counties) and has introduced legislation aimed at preventing armed disruptions at public events and universities. Her actions indicate support for some regulatory steps to increase public safety rather than a broad expansion of gun rights.

News

AINews Summary

Last updatedJul 15, 2026

Kathleen Riebe has suspended her campaign for Utah’s new 1st Congressional District and endorsed former Rep. Ben McAdams in the Democratic primary. She is now serving as an adviser to his campaign. Recent coverage around Utah’s primary and new congressional map suggests the district is becoming more competitive, but no new development about Riebe herself was reported beyond her endorsement move.

en.wikipedia.org+40

Articles

SLSalt Lake City Deseret News3 months ago