McAdams Concedes 4th Congressional District Race To Owens
Nov 16, 2020, 3:38 PM | Updated: Nov 17, 2020, 5:48 am
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Democratic incumbent Ben McAdams has conceded the 4th Congressional District race to Republican challenger Burgess Owens.
Owens had received 177,170 votes to McAdams’ 175,0314 as of Monday afternoon, for a lead of 0.57%, which falls outside of the percentage for a recount under current state law (equal to or less than 0.25%).
McAdams held a press conference Monday from Washington D.C. and announced he had called Owens to congratulate him on winning the race.
“It was a hard-fought race and I am grateful for Ben’s kind words, his service and desire for a smooth transition,” Owens said. “I am eager and excited to work on behalf of every constituent in the district and continue to serve our community. It is time to get to work.”
I received a call from @BenMcAdams he expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve #UT04 and his commitment to a smooth transition. My sincere thanks to him for both. Thank you my fellow Utahns, I am committed to have an open ear to serve you. Thank you for the opportunity
— Burgess Owens (@BurgessOwens) November 16, 2020
“I’m very proud of the service that I and my office have provided and I’m proud of all that’s been accomplished over the past 12 years of public service for Utahns,” McAdams said. “Today I called Burgess Owens to congratulate him on winning this hard-fought and close race. My campaign was centered around a rejection of extremism and the need for leaders who will put the needs of the people they represent before any political party. I’m deeply humbled by the support. I received from so many Utah’s who share that vision and want them to know that, while we did not prevail, I remain committed to that idea.
“I’ve been criticized by the left for my moderate positions and for opposing Nancy Pelosi and by the right for holding President Trump accountable for his wrongdoing, but I have always tried to put principal ahead of politics and put Utah first for the good of our families, for the good of our state and for our country,” McAdams added.
The 4th district represents parts of Juab, Salt Lake, Sanpete and Utah counties. Owens outperformed McAdams in every county except for Salt Lake County, which is home to the most 4th district voters.
| County | BEN MCADAMS (DEM) | BURGESS OWENS (REP) | JOHN MOLNAR (LIB) | JONIA M BRODERICK (UUP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 175031 | 177170 | 12851 | 7932 |
| Juab | 759 | 4206 | 166 | 91 |
| Salt Lake | 157970 | 130473 | 10253 | 6444 |
| Sanpete | 1117 | 4275 | 208 | 143 |
| Utah | 15185 | 38216 | 2224 | 1254 |
Owens will join three other Utah Republicans in the House of Representatives.
McAdams was elected to the House in 2018, when he defeated Republican Mia Love by 700 votes.
Several Republicans, including President Donald Trump, congratulated Owens on his victory.
Republican Burgess Owens Defeats Democrat Rep. Ben McAdams in Utah https://t.co/H9NlPQj5yb via @BreitbartNews Great going Burgess, you continue to be a STAR!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 14, 2020
Democrats held control of the House going into the 2020 election with 232 seats. NBC News projects Democrats will maintain control of the House, but their majority will drop to a maximum of 224 seats.
As of Monday, there were 11 uncalled seats — three in California, one in Iowa and seven in New York — and one runoff race in Louisiana.
Owens was already in Washington for orientation with other Republican lawmakers. He said he will focus on education while emphasizing accountability, and he’ll work to protect small business owners and their culture through a divisive time.
“We need to make sure that thrives across our country,” Owens said. “Right now, it’s under attack. We have people that literally hate capitalism, they hate God and they hate the family unit.”
Owens also said he will fight against rewriting the American history that has helped him to where he is today.
“Here we are in 2020 with a person who grew up in a segregated community … and here I am, a congressman-elect,” he said. “We have so many examples of success. We need to highlight that versus those kinds where we have people who don’t have any clue about what it is to be good people.”
