Six compete to represent District 72
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is the first of a two-part series. A second article featuring information about the other candidates will be published next week.
By Cathy Wentz
cwentz@thespectrum.com
CEDAR CITY — The filing period for candidates to run for public office ended March 15 and the candidate field for the District 72 state House of Representative seat includes five Republicans and one Libertarian.
The Republican candidates are John Westwood, Ryan Bundy, Marlo B. Jensen, Albert Montoya and Matthew Carling. Barry Short is running for the office as a member of the Libertarian Party.
Rep. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, occupies the District 72 seat, but he is running for the District 28 state Senate seat.
John Westwood
Former Cedar City councilman John Westwood, who currently serves as Chief Financial Officer for State Bank of Southern Utah, is running as a Republican for the District 72 seat.
He said his two and a half terms on the City Council qualifies him to represent the Cedar City area on the state level.
“These are peculiar times, and we need some good legislators up to the state that would have an ear and eye for Southern Utah,” Westwood said.
He also said one of the issues closest to his heart is small business.
“Small business people generate the jobs and the income and the stability to our area,” Westwood said, noting he wants to be an advocate for smallbusiness owners by helping to free them from excessive government regulations and other hindrances to prosperity.
Taxation is one hindrance to small businesses that Westwood spoke about. He said machinery and other equipment purchased by businesses should not be taxed.
He said regulations cause business people to spend a lot of time filling out reports rather than working to move their businesses forward.
Westwood said education is the other issue about which he is passionate, noting that it is very important to have an educated workforce throughout the state because it will bring more businesses, and as a result, more jobs to the state and help its economy to move forward.
Blake Cozzens, vice chairman for the Iron County Republican Party, said the field of five Republicans would be narrowed down through a vote by the county delegates during the party’s April 7 county convention.
According to the county Republican party by-laws, county delegates will vote on the five candidates, and if one of them gets 60 percent of the vote, he will be the Republican candidate for the general election. However, if no one receives 60 percent of the vote, two finalists will go through the primary process.
Former Cedar City councilman John Westwood, who currently serves as Chief Financial Officer for State Bank of Southern Utah, is running as a Republican for the District 72 seat.
He said his two and a half terms on the City Council qualifies him to represent the Cedar City area on the state level.
“These are peculiar times, and we need some good legislators up to the state that would have an ear and eye for Southern Utah,” Westwood said.
He also said one of the issues closest to his heart is small business.
“Small business people generate the jobs and the income and the stability to our area,” Westwood said, noting he wants to be an advocate for smallbusiness owners by helping to free them from excessive government regulations and other hindrances to prosperity.
Taxation is one hindrance to small businesses that Westwood spoke about. He said machinery and other equipment purchased by businesses should not be taxed.
He said regulations cause business people to spend a lot of time filling out reports rather than working to move their businesses forward.
Westwood said education is the other issue about which he is passionate, noting that it is very important to have an educated workforce throughout the state because it will bring more businesses, and as a result, more jobs to the state and help its economy to move forward.
Blake Cozzens, vice chairman for the Iron County Republican Party, said the field of five Republicans would be narrowed down through a vote by the county delegates during the party’s April 7 county convention.
According to the county Republican party by-laws, county delegates will vote on the five candidates, and if one of them gets 60 percent of the vote, he will be the Republican candidate for the general election. However, if no one receives 60 percent of the vote, two finalists will go through the primary process.
