Ben McAdams

Ben McAdams earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Utah in 2000 and a law degree from Columbia Law School in 2003. His career experience includes working as the chief executive officer of Propvizer and the Common Ground Institute. McAdams has also served as a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution and Sorenson Impact, an advisor at Detter & Co, an adjunct professor at the University of Utah School of Law, and an attorney. He has been affiliated with Utah's Promise and the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund.[3]

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Campaign websitesMcAdams' campaign website stated the following:I was raised by a mom who worked harder than anyone I’ve ever met. But no matter how hard she worked, money was always tight. Some months the lights went out, and we needed help just to put food on the table.At 11, I got my first job to help keep our family afloat. Since then, I’ve worked nearly every job you can imagine — farm work, fast food, janitor, even guitar repairman. I know what it’s like to wonder if you’ll make it to the end of the month, because I’ve been there.I’m running for Congress because Washington has forgotten what real life feels like. I can’t think of any other time in my life where I’ve been more concerned about the direction of our nation. Political enemies being prosecuted, ICE and the National Guard sent to patrol our streets, peaceful protesters shot and killed, not to mention the thousands of hard working and law abiding immigrants ripped from their families without an ounce of due process.In the blink of an eye Donald Trump has taken our democracy and trampled all over it. Republicans in Congress are his accomplices and let’s be honest too many democrats aren’t doing enough to stop it. So here is my promise to you. My service will always be about Utah. I’ll work with anyone to get results. But I’ve never been afraid to stand up and even stand alone to fight for the America that you and your family deserve to live in. A free, fair, and just place that helps your neighbor, protects dissent, and provides for its people.I’ll go to work every day thinking about how to lower housing costs, get you the medical care you deserve and make life a little bit easier for Utah families.It’s time for a new kind of politics. One that listens, finds common ground, and delivers for families like yours.I’m Ben McAdams. I’m running for Congress — and I’d be honored to earn your vote.Lowering Costs and Building Economic Security for Working FamiliesHard-working people should be able to afford the basics—housing, health care, groceries, and a secure retirement. Too many are falling behind. I’m focused on tackling the affordability crisis by standing against Trump’s tariffs that are driving up the cost of groceries and everyday items, by expanding access to housing that’s affordable, lowering health care costs, strengthening retirement security, and pushing back on economic policies that reward corporations while driving up prices for everyone else. Donald Trump’s tax giveaways to the wealthy have made the rich richer while working families struggle. I will fight for an economy that helps Utah’s working people thrive.Housing: Utah families shouldn’t be priced out of their own communities. I’ll work to bring down the cost of housing, expand opportunities for first time homebuyers, increase housing supply, cut red tape that drives up costs, and support policies that help working families afford a safe place to live.Health Care: Nobody should have to choose between paying the rent and seeing a doctor. I’ll fight to lower health care costs by protecting coverage, reducing prescription drug prices, and standing up to policies that put insurance company profits ahead of patients.Groceries: The cost of everyday essentials keeps climbing while big corporations rake in record profits. I’ll work to lower food costs by opposing tariffs and tax policies that raise prices for consumers and hurt working families.Defending Democracy, the Rule of Law, and the Will of the VotersDemocracy only works when leaders respect fair elections, independent institutions, and the will of the voters. As a member of Congress, I voted to impeach Donald Trump for abusing the power of the presidency, even though I knew it could cost me my seat. I will always stand up to Trump’s corruption, oppose the weaponization of the Justice Department, and restore American leadership abroad. I am also committed to ending ICE’s lawless and dangerous raids that intimidate communities and make neighborhoods less safe.Ending Violent ICE Raids: What we are seeing today is immigration enforcement that has been weaponized for political purposes, making communities less safe. ICE is broken; operating without accountability and oversight. ICE violence and unlawfulness must stop. I will work to dismantle the current enforcement model that relies on fear and indiscriminate raids, replace it with a system rooted in constitutional protections, and refocus federal resources on genuine public safety threats. We can enforce our laws without abandoning our values. America should never operate a federal agency that undermines the Constitution it is sworn to uphold.Restoring American Leadership Abroad: Donald Trump has weakened America’s standing in the world by picking fights with foreign friends, cozying up to dictators, and threatening to take over sovereign countries. In Congress, I will work to strengthen, not weaken, our alliances so that America can again be a trusted partner and respected leader on the global stage.Protecting the Independence of the Justice Department: No president should use the Justice Department as a political weapon. I will defend the rule of law and fight to make the justice department independent, fair, and focused on upholding the rule of law—not targeting political opponents.Protecting the EnvironmentClimate change is an existential threat that demands our immediate attention. I will work in Congress to curb greenhouse gas emissions and address the many other environmental crises facing our state so that our kids can breathe clean air, enjoy nature, and inherit a prosperous future.Sustainable Energy: Utah can lead in clean, affordable American-made energy that strengthens our economy and lowers costs for families. I support expanding clean energy, modernizing the electrical grid, and investing in transportation infrastructure that creates jobs and secures our energy future.Protecting Public Lands: I will protect Utah’s public lands and national parks from being sold off and exploited. Our public lands support outdoor recreation, rural economies, and a way of life that’s central to who we are as Utahns. We need to preserve them for future generations, not sell them to the highest bidder. I have a strong record of defending our public lands against development that threatens the places we love. I vigorously opposed the proposed SkiLink interconnect and the gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon because they put sensitive terrain and watershed areas at risk, and I have championed lasting wilderness protections for the Central Wasatch. In Congress, I stood alone among Utah’s delegation in voting for the Great American Outdoors Act — landmark bipartisan legislation that permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund and invests billions to repair and maintain our national parks and public lands — ensuring they remain accessible, protected, and preserved for generations to come.Restoring the Great Salt Lake: I will fight to restore and protect the Great Salt Lake, whose decline threatens Utah’s air quality, public health, wildlife habitat, and economy. That means pushing for smart water policy and conservation efforts that keep the lake healthy even during seasons of drought. The future of the Great Salt Lake is directly tied to the future of our communities.Defending Human Rights and Opportunity for Every UtahnEvery Utahn deserves dignity, freedom, and a fair chance to succeed, no matter who they are or where they come from. That means investing in strong public schools, standing up for LGBTQ+ individuals, and protecting the fundamental right to make personal health decisions without government interference. I will fight to ensure Utah is a place where everyone can learn, live, and thrive with dignity and respect.Immigrants and New Americans: Immigrants are not a problem to be managed; they are part of the American story. Utah is stronger because of immigrants who build businesses, serve in our communities, and enrich our culture. I believe in an immigration system rooted in dignity, fairness, and opportunity; not fear, cruelty, or political scapegoating.As Mayor of Salt Lake County, I created the Office for New Americans to ensure immigrants and refugees had access to language services, workforce training, and pathways to civic participation. I also launched the United for Citizenship Initiative to help thousands of eligible permanent residents become U.S. citizens because democracy works best when everyone can fully participate. In Congress, I voted to provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and supported comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for law-abiding immigrants who contribute to our communities. I opposed family separation and efforts to demonize asylum seekers. We must protect TPS recipients, safeguard due process, and ensure that no child grows up in fear of losing their parents to unjust deportation. I support permanently protecting Dreamers, expanding access to legal status, defending asylum protections, and ending policies that criminalize families seeking safety. Immigration reform must center human rights, keep families together, and create a clear, achievable pathway to citizenship. Utah can lead with compassion and courage. We can build a system that is humane, just, and worthy of the values we claim to stand for.LGTBQ+ Rights: Every Utah family deserves dignity and equal protection under the law. I have a long record of advancing LGBTQ+ rights, beginning in the Utah State Senate when I helped secure Utah’s landmark statewide nondiscrimination law protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in housing and employment. I have consistently supported marriage equality because the freedom to marry the person you love is a fundamental right. In Congress, I was the only member of Utah’s delegation to vote for the Equality Act — landmark federal civil-rights legislation to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Throughout my time as State Senator, Mayor, and in Congress, I have supported policies that protect LGBTQ+ Americans from discrimination in housing, employment, health care, and public life, and I will continue defending the rights and safety of all Utahns, including transgender Americans who deserve the ability to live authentically and securely free from harassment or exclusion.Reproductive Rights: Decisions about abortion should be made by a woman, her doctor, and the people she trusts, not politicians. I have a consistent record of standing up for reproductive freedom, access to contraception, and opposed efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, we’ve seen women denied life-saving care, and some have died as a result. That’s wrong, it’s dangerous, and it’s why we need to restore the freedom for women to make their own health decisions. I support codifying Roe into federal law to ensure women’s health decisions are protected nationwide.— Ben McAdams' campaign website (April 23, 2026)McAdams' campaign website stated the following:Ben's PlatformI was raised by a mom who worked harder than anyone I’ve ever met. But no matter how hard she worked, money was always tight. Some months the lights went out, and we needed help just to put food on the table.At 11, I got my first job to help keep our family afloat. Since then, I’ve worked nearly every job you can imagine — farm work, fast food, janitor, even guitar repairman. I know what it’s like to wonder if you’ll make it to the end of the month, because I’ve been there.I’m running for Congress because Washington has forgotten what real life feels like. I can’t think of any other time in my life where I’ve been more concerned about the direction of our nation. Political enemies being prosecuted, ICE and the National Guard sent to patrol our streets, peaceful protesters shot and killed, not to mention the thousands of hard working and law abiding immigrants ripped from their families without an ounce of due process.In the blink of an eye Donald Trump has taken our democracy and trampled all over it. Republicans in Congress are his accomplices and let’s be honest too many democrats aren’t doing enough to stop it. So here is my promise to you. My service will always be about Utah. I’ll work with anyone to get results. But I’ve never been afraid to stand up and even stand alone to fight for the America that you and your family deserve to live in. A free, fair, and just place that helps your neighbor, protects dissent, and provides for its people.I’ll go to work every day thinking about how to lower housing costs, get you the medical care you deserve and make life a little bit easier for Utah families.It’s time for a new kind of politics. One that listens, finds common ground, and delivers for families like yours.I’m Ben McAdams. I’m running for Congress — and I’d be honored to earn your vote.Lowering Costs and Building Economic Security for Working FamiliesHard-working people should be able to afford the basics—housing, health care, groceries, and a secure retirement. Too many are falling behind. I’m focused on tackling the affordability crisis by standing against Trump’s tariffs that are driving up the cost of groceries and everyday items, by expanding access to housing that’s affordable, lowering health care costs, strengthening retirement security, and pushing back on economic policies that reward corporations while driving up prices for everyone else. Donald Trump’s tax giveaways to the wealthy have made the rich richer while working families struggle. I will fight for an economy that helps Utah’s working people thrive.Housing: Utah families shouldn’t be priced out of their own communities. I’ll work to bring down the cost of housing, expand opportunities for first time homebuyers, increase housing supply, cut red tape that drives up costs, and support policies that help working families afford a safe place to live.Health Care: Nobody should have to choose between paying the rent and seeing a doctor. I’ll fight to lower health care costs by protecting coverage, reducing prescription drug prices, and standing up to policies that put insurance company profits ahead of patients.Groceries: The cost of everyday essentials keeps climbing while big corporations rake in record profits. I’ll work to lower food costs by opposing tariffs and tax policies that raise prices for consumers and hurt working families.Defending Democracy, the Rule of Law, and the Will of the VotersDemocracy only works when leaders respect fair elections, independent institutions, and the will of the voters. As a member of Congress, I voted to impeach Donald Trump for abusing the power of the presidency, even though I knew it could cost me my seat. I will always stand up to Trump’s corruption, oppose the weaponization of the Justice Department, and restore American leadership abroad. I am also committed to ending ICE’s lawless and dangerous raids that intimidate communities and make neighborhoods less safe.Ending Violent ICE Raids: What we are seeing today is immigration enforcement that has been weaponized for political purposes, making communities less safe. ICE is broken; operating without accountability and oversight. ICE violence and unlawfulness must stop.I will work to dismantle the current enforcement model that relies on fear and indiscriminate raids, replace it with a system rooted in constitutional protections, and refocus federal resources on genuine public safety threats. We can enforce our laws without abandoning our values. America should never operate a federal agency that undermines the Constitution it is sworn to uphold.Restoring American Leadership Abroad: Donald Trump has weakened America’s standing in the world by picking fights with foreign friends, cozying up to dictators, and threatening to take over sovereign countries. In Congress, I will work to strengthen, not weaken, our alliances so that America can again be a trusted partner and respected leader on the global stage.Protecting the Independence of the Justice Department: No president should use the Justice Department as a political weapon. I will defend the rule of law and fight to make the justice department independent, fair, and focused on upholding the rule of law—not targeting political opponents.Protecting the EnvironmentClimate change is an existential threat that demands our immediate attention. I will work in Congress to curb greenhouse gas emissions and address the many other environmental crises facing our state so that our kids can breathe clean air, enjoy nature, and inherit a prosperous future.Sustainable Energy: Utah can lead in clean, affordable American-made energy that strengthens our economy and lowers costs for families. I support expanding clean energy, modernizing the electrical grid, and investing in transportation infrastructure that creates jobs and secures our energy future.Protecting Public Lands: I will protect Utah’s public lands and national parks from being sold off and exploited. Our public lands support outdoor recreation, rural economies, and a way of life that’s central to who we are as Utahns. We need to preserve them for future generations, not sell them to the highest bidder. I have a strong record of defending our public lands against development that threatens the places we love. I vigorously opposed the proposed SkiLink interconnect and the gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon because they put sensitive terrain and watershed areas at risk, and I have championed lasting wilderness protections for the Central Wasatch. In Congress, I stood alone among Utah’s delegation in voting for the Great American Outdoors Act — landmark bipartisan legislation that permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund and invests billions to repair and maintain our national parks and public lands — ensuring they remain accessible, protected, and preserved for generations to come.Restoring the Great Salt Lake: I will fight to restore and protect the Great Salt Lake, whose decline threatens Utah’s air quality, public health, wildlife habitat, and economy. That means pushing for smart water policy and conservation efforts that keep the lake healthy even during seasons of drought. The future of the Great Salt Lake is directly tied to the future of our communities.Defending Human Rights and Opportunity for Every UtahnEvery Utahn deserves dignity, freedom, and a fair chance to succeed, no matter who they are or where they come from. That means investing in strong public schools, standing up for LGBTQ+ individuals, and protecting the fundamental right to make personal health decisions without government interference. I will fight to ensure Utah is a place where everyone can learn, live, and thrive with dignity and respect.Immigrants and New Americans: Immigrants are not a problem to be managed; they are part of the American story. Utah is stronger because of immigrants who build businesses, serve in our communities, and enrich our culture. I believe in an immigration system rooted in dignity, fairness, and opportunity; not fear, cruelty, or political scapegoating.As Mayor of Salt Lake County, I created the Office for New Americans to ensure immigrants and refugees had access to language services, workforce training, and pathways to civic participation. I also launched the United for Citizenship Initiative to help thousands of eligible permanent residents become U.S. citizens because democracy works best when everyone can fully participate.In Congress, I voted to provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and supported comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for law-abiding immigrants who contribute to our communities. I opposed family separation and efforts to demonize asylum seekers. We must protect TPS recipients, safeguard due process, and ensure that no child grows up in fear of losing their parents to unjust deportation.I support permanently protecting Dreamers, expanding access to legal status, defending asylum protections, and ending policies that criminalize families seeking safety. Immigration reform must center human rights, keep families together, and create a clear, achievable pathway to citizenship.Utah can lead with compassion and courage. We can build a system that is humane, just, and worthy of the values we claim to stand for.LGTBQ+ Rights: Every Utah family deserves dignity and equal protection under the law. I have a long record of advancing LGBTQ+ rights, beginning in the Utah State Senate when I helped secure Utah’s landmark statewide nondiscrimination law protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in housing and employment. I have consistently supported marriage equality because the freedom to marry the person you love is a fundamental right.In Congress, I was the only member of Utah’s delegation to vote for the Equality Act — landmark federal civil-rights legislation to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.Throughout my time as State Senator, Mayor, and in Congress, I have supported policies that protect LGBTQ+ Americans from discrimination in housing, employment, health care, and public life, and I will continue defending the rights and safety of all Utahns, including transgender Americans who deserve the ability to live authentically and securely free from harassment or exclusion.Reproductive Rights: Decisions about abortion should be made by a woman, her doctor, and the people she trusts, not politicians. I have a consistent record of standing up for reproductive freedom, access to contraception, and opposed efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, we’ve seen women denied life-saving care, and some have died as a result. That’s wrong, it’s dangerous, and it’s why we need to restore the freedom for women to make their own health decisions. I support codifying Roe into federal law to ensure women’s health decisions are protected nationwide.— Ben McAdams' campaign website (April 12, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

Ben McAdams did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

McAdam’s campaign website stated the following:

Economy & Jobs

Ben knows that small businesses are the engine that drive economic growth and create jobs. He supports low taxes and cutting red tape. When the economy was forced to close in response to COVID-19, Ben supported vital small business loan programs, like the Paycheck Protection Program to give Utah employers money to continue paying their employees’ salaries, as well as rent, utilities and other business needs. Ben also fought against government bureaucracy that kept the public in the dark about who was getting the loans, and whether it was at the expense of small businesses that truly needed and deserved them.

Ben supported COVID-19 measures that assisted gig economy workers, like Uber and Lyft drivers, and others considered “independent contractors”. While traditional employees normally have access to unemployment benefits when they lose their jobs, that’s not typically an option for gig workers. The CARES Act provided eligibility for those workers to help them through the economic shut-down.

Trade is a driver of business expansion and good-paying jobs in Utah. Ben stood up to leaders in his own party and pushed for a vote to approve the U.S. Mexico Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA). Congress passed and the President signed the “new NAFTA”, as it’s known, giving Utah farmers and ranchers, medical equipment manufacturers, eCommerce companies and their thousands of employees a major win. The agreement included important enforcement provisions on labor and environmental standards so that U.S. companies aren’t undercut by weaker standards in other countries. The economic relationship between Utah, Mexico and Canada supports more than 120,000 Utah jobs. Having the deal in place before the coronavirus crisis hit provided the certainty Utah businesses needed to serve their customers and retain their employees.

Ben voted with Republicans and Democrats to renew the U.S. export credit agency which both business and labor agree has been critical to economic development and job creation. The U.S. Export Finance Agency directly supports thousands of American jobs at no cost to the taxpayer. Its role is to provide short-term credit when the private sector is unwilling or unable to finance businesses’ efforts to expand into global markets and offers credit-backing and insurance to help Utah businesses bid on overseas projects and reach customers.

Ben supported a number of bills to assist women-owned small businesses and start-ups. The measures strengthen and improve programs and tools offered by the Small Business Administration that make an important difference to these key job-creators in the community.

Education

As the son of a school teacher, Ben knows that education is the most important investment we can make in our children, including making available federal student loans and grants for college. As someone who received federal aid to go to college, he wants today’s students to be able to invest in their education, while not ending up with crushing debt. He supports bipartisan legislation that requires more openness and disclosure for students who take out loans, including simplified and monthly disclosures to student borrowers.

The CARES Act included specific relief for most federal student loan borrowers. It automatically reduced interest to zero and suspended monthly loan payments through Sept. 30, 2020. This helped thousands of Utah student loan borrowers who were struggling to pay bills when the economy shut down and many were laid off or saw their hours cut back.

Ben has also advanced bipartisan legislation to enhance STEM education in rural schools, which face unique barriers to providing STEM education, including a shortage of science and math teachers and difficulty accessing online and computer-based technology.

COVID-19 Heath & Economic Crisis

Ben knows that the unprecedented threat to Utahns’ health and safety and our economy from this new, highly-infectious virus must be met with timely, targeted and transparent actions.

Ben has supported bipartisan measures––signed by the President––to help individuals, hospitals, foodbanks, schools and small businesses. Aid included individual and family economic relief payments and low-interest loans to help small businesses keep paying salaries to their employees during the shutdown. He supported paid sick and family leave for those who become ill with coronavirus or were caring for someone who was sick, and emergency unemployment insurance stabilization and access. Ben has pushed for more accountability and openness for taxpayers to see where their tax dollars are spent and to make sure those small businesses who truly need and deserve the loans were able to get them, not giant corporations. Ben fought to make sure federal agencies released the list of loan recipients and to minimize red-tape for small business owners.

At a time when thousands of Utahns are sick, hundreds have died, and tens of thousands are out of a job, Ben fought to protect access to health care coverage, especially for those with preexisting conditions. He also helped pass legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs and pushed for a measure to cap the out-of-pocket drug costs for older Americans.

Health Care

Access to quality, affordable health care and prescription drugs has never been more critical for Utahns. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Ben was fighting to protect Utahns’ access to health care and lower prescription drugs costs. Now more than ever families need peace of mind that a preexisting condition or getting laid off from a job won’t cost them their insurance coverage or prevent them from getting treatment.

Ben voted for bipartisan legislation expanding tax credits for working families to purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchange and for states to adopt a reinsurance program, which has proven to reduce premiums overall. Ben also supported negotiating the price of drug manufacturers for certain selected drugs, such as insulin and he helped pass a bipartisan bill–the CREATES ACT –to bring more lower-cost generic drugs into the marketplace. Ben supported more funding for Utah health care providers’ use of tele-health, to allow access to a doctor without having to leave home or travel long distances to a health care provider.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Utahns ages 15-24. Ben has advanced a bill– the Advancing Research to Prevent Suicide Ac