Derek Kitchen

Derek Kitchen (Democratic Party) was a member of the Utah State Senate, representing District 2. He assumed office on January 1, 2019. He left office on January 1, 2023.

Kitchen (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Utah's 1st Congressional District. He did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on June 23, 2026.

Derek Kitchen did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Senator Derek Lloyd Kitchen has represented Salt Lake City in the Utah Senate since 2018, is the only queer person elected to Utah’s state government, and is the only millennial in the Utah Senate. Senator Kitchen serves on Judiciary & Criminal Justice, Education, and Workforce Services subcommittees.

In 2018, Kitchen announced his bid for Utah State Senate. On November 6, 2018, Kitchen won the 2018 election for Utah Senate District 2 and was elected to serve in the 2019-20 Utah Senate Minority Leadership as Senate Caucus Manager.

Before being elected to his role in the Senate, Senator Kitchen was a member of the Salt Lake City Council representing District 4 where he concurrently served as the Chair of the Salt Lake City Redevelopment Authority.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Representation matters. Senator Kitchen is the only millennial in the Senate and the only member of the LGBTQ+ community in the entire Utah legislature.Holding power accountable. Utah has a republican supermajority in both the State House & State Senate. Senator Kitchen is a leader that defends the people that live in Utah’s largest city. Fight for balance/transparency. Fight for the people who live and work in Salt Lake CitySenator Kitchen knows what it's like to work in a restaurant. He knows what it's like to have student debt. He knows what it's like to try rent in slc. He doesn't give up on people, and when he sees an injustice he stands up and says something even if it won’t make him popular.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Housing is the number one issue that Senator Kitchen has worked on. He is also focused on environmental issues relating to air-quality and water conservation, including saving the Great Salt Lake. And finally, Senator Kitchen believes in transparency and accountability in government. He is a leader in the democratic minority party and is not afraid to stand up to corruption and challenge the status quo.