Washington • State Rep. Stephen Sandstrom is "on the radar" of national Republicans as he seeks his party’s nomination in Utah’s new 4th Congressional District.
Sandstrom is the second such candidate to receive the designation from the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Young Guns program, which supports Republicans running in open seats or against Democrats. Former state Rep. Carl Wimmer made the list in September.
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The NRCC announced Sandstrom’s addition Thursday, with NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions, R-Texas, saying, "We are looking forward to working with Stephen Sandstrom, who has already proven himself by meeting rigorous benchmarks in the Young Guns program that will position his campaign for victory."
The key requirement is for candidates to raise $100,000. Sandstrom hit the mark by loaning his campaign $96,000.
The Young Guns program was created by Reps. Eric Cantor, Kevin McCarthy and Paul Ryan, a trio of leaders in the House.
While Sandstrom and Wimmer are now in the NRCC program, their rival, Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love, is the only candidate who collected contributions from Cantor, McCarthy and Ryan. All three gave her $5,000 from their political action committees late last year.
The eventual winner in the GOP contest will face Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, a six-term incumbent who has decided to vacate his 2nd Congressional District seat to run in the newly created district, which Utah received due to its population growth.
mcanham@sltrib.comTwitter: @mattcanham
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