Replacement picked for Utah lawmaker who resigned amid prostitution controversy
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Jon Stanard, R-St. George, in the Utah House of Representatives, Wednesday, January 28, 2015.
St. George • Southern Utah Republicans have chosen an attorney from a prominent local family to replace a lawmaker who resigned amid reports he met a prostitute in taxpayer-funded hotel rooms.
The Spectrum newspaper in St. George reports Travis Seegmiller won an eight-way race at an emergency Washington County Republican meeting on Monday.
Seegmiller is also an associate professor and longtime political consultant who worked for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. His wife is a Tony Award-winning actress, and his family roots date back to Mormon pioneers.
He’ll serve out the remaining term of Rep. Jon Stanard, who abruptly stepped down last week before DailyMail.com reported allegations that he paid for sex with a prostitute twice in 2017.
Seegmiller is expected to be approved by Gov. Gary Herbert and join the Legislature on Wednesday.
sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.
Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.
You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.