With Rep. Owens absent, Democrats to hold Utah town hall in his place

Brian King speaks at the Utah Democratic Convention at Ogden High School on May 31, 2025. (Alixel Cabrera/Utah News Dispatch)

After Republicans found rowdy crowds waiting for them in town halls during the first months of the second Trump administration, Democrats have taken it upon themselves to host similar events in all 50 states. Friday will be Utah’s turn.

California Democratic Rep. Sara Jacobs is scheduled to join Utah Democratic Party leaders at the Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus in Sandy, a city that is part of Utah’s 4th Congressional District, represented by Republican Rep. Burgess Owens. 

Brian King, the newly elected chair of the state’s Democratic Party, Millcreek Mayor Jeff Silvestrini, and others are also scheduled to speak with constituents on Friday at 6:15 p.m.

King said this is an initiative aiming to listen to the people where town halls haven’t happened, particularly in red states. Utah’s congressional delegation members, who are all Republican, were also invited to tune in, King said.

“Our feeling on this is simply ‘listen, if you’re an elected official, or if you’re trying to represent people, if you’re running for office, things like that, you need to make sure that you listen to the people that you’re trying to represent and that you find out what they want and don’t want and you receive their criticism,’” King said.

The last time Utah Republican Reps. Celeste Maloy and Mike Kennedy tried to hold a town hall, a crowd of about 300 showed up to protest, booing and jeering throughout the discussion. 

King says he doesn’t know what to expect from those attending the Friday town hall. However, he would like to see a mix from a broad political spectrum participating.

“I want to see people who are Trump supporters. I want to hear people who are moderates, and pragmatists, and independents, and unaffiliated, as well as Democratic base voters, and more moderate, pragmatic Democrats,” King said. “I mean the range of people, I hope, is broad and reflects Utah.”

Jacobs, a San Diego congresswoman, was elected Caucus leadership representative in 2022 and now serves in the U.S. House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Armed Services Committee. Being a representative of a Western state and sharing characteristics with Utah, King believes Jacobs will be able to understand the state needs.

“We want to have somebody who is in Congress who can come and be sort of a representative for Congress, because our representatives in Congress right now are not basically willing to receive information in a town hall setting from their constituents,” King said. 

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