Overview
- Thatcher announced Tuesday he intends to step down after more than 14 years in the Utah Senate, though he has not filed a formal resignation or set an effective date.
- He said he will wait to finalize his departure until he has assurances that the Forward Party, not Republicans, will choose his replacement under Utah’s vacancy rules.
- The Utah Forward Party says applications to replace him are open through Nov. 11, with a debate and an online ranked-choice preference poll for all District 11 voters and a winner expected Dec. 12.
- The appointee would serve until the November 2026 election, as Thatcher would have been up for reelection next year.
- Thatcher left the GOP for the Forward Party in March 2025 after frequent breaks with Republican leaders, and reporting has noted lingering effects from a 2022 stroke, which he declined to discuss in this context.