Utah County Republicans will soon be under new leadership, with the current chair of the party choosing not to file for re-election.

Rob Craig has served two years as the chairman of Utah County’s dominant party, and when filing for party positions closed Friday evening, Craig’s name was not on the list.

Craig said he believed the UCRP had accomplished a lot over the two years of his term, holding two successful Lincoln Day Dinners and strengthening relationships with allied organizations such as college Republican groups. While there are still issues within the party to be addressed, Craig said he is happy to be in the shadows supporting.

Other current party leaders including Vice Chair Josh Daniels, Secretary Heidi Balderree and Treasurer David Lamb also did not file for re-election.

When candidate filing for the position closed Friday night, two attorneys filed to replace Craig for the chairmanship: Ben Stanley and Stewart Peay.

Peay is a partner at the law firm Snell & Wilmer in Salt Lake City, though he lives in Alpine, and has previously served with the Utah National Guard in Iraq and Kuwait. He specializes in commercial litigation, and has also previously served as legal counsel to the Utah Republican Party.

Peay said he’s running because he believes the UCRP needs to move toward the future, and wants to move the party forward by bringing more people into the party, making sure people know what the party stands for, and improving the caucus system.

“We have to figure out how to make sure technology works for the caucus to make it move faster and allow people to attend remotely,” Peay said.

Ben Stanley is an attorney at TechLaw Ventures, PLLC in Lehi, and has previously served at firms in California and Illinois. He also served on the Pleasant Grove City Council from 2014 to 2018. He has also served in multiple local party functions, including as a delegate.

Stanley said the party needs someone who can unify the party, and that as chair he would hope to improve fundraising, attract young people to the party and bring factions together as a team.

“I want people to be excited about being Republicans,” Stanley said.

When filing for the positions closed Friday night, those seeking the party leadership positions included:

Vice Chair

• Carolina Herrin
• Happiness Peterson
• Travis Hoban

Treasurer

• Skyler Beltran
• Brandon Loveland

Secretary

• Karen Ellingson
• Karen Daniels
• John Morris

A full list of candidates, including those for the Republican State Central Committee, can be viewed at http://ucrp.org.

Republican county delegates will vote on the new leadership at the party’s organizing convention on April 27.