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Utah’s newly drawn 2nd Congressional District covers much of the northern part of the state, an area currently represented by U.S. Rep. Blake Moore.

Moore, who serves as the House Republican Caucus Vice Chair, is Utah’s only member of congressional leadership. In June, he won a contentious Republican primary and is now facing off against Democratic nominee Peter Crosby.

Crosby works in the private sector, as a director, project manager and consultant, according to his website. He’s also an adjunct professor in emergent and disruptive technology at Utah State University.

The race also features several third-party and independent candidates, including Independent American Party candidate Carlton Bowen, Libertarian candidate Daniel Cottam and unaffiliated candidate Robert Moesinger.

Bowen, according to his website, is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and a former member of the American Fork City Council.

Cottam is a bariatric surgeon, and a consultant with the medical tech company Medtronic.

Moesinger, a graduate of the University of Utah, works as a system engineer, according to Ballotpedia.

All but Cottam responded to The Salt Lake Tribune’s invitation to answer a questionnaire featuring reader questions.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Mail ballots must be dropped off at a ballot dropbox by 8 p.m. on Election Day or, if returned by mail, must be received by the county clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Candidates submitted photos and answers through a questionnaire. Answers may have been edited for style and clarity. Candidate responses are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Utah voters told us government corruption is their top concern in this year’s election. Why do you think voters feel this way? And why should Utahns trust you to represent them?

Bowen: The dishonest Box Elder Data Center approval revealed the corruption to voters. Now the State Auditor’s office has confirmed it, having found contracts where some MIDA board members are receiving 25K-plus a month personally from contracts they approved with their own business interests. They are supposed to be serving the public, not their wallets. This is what corruption looks like [in] Utah!

Cottam: Did not answer.

Crosby: Voters feel this way because we see what is happening, and it is corruption. We know public servants should not be enriching themselves while in office, but they are. We know communities should decide if a data center is built, but they are ignored. We know Congress is supposed to check executive overreach, but it’s not. This is corruption, and we know it’s not right.

Moesinger: Toxic two-party politics drives a vicious cycle of suspicion. The Framers did not design a system that depended on trusting politicians; they designed institutions that checked ambition with ambition. The same principle applies today. Don’t trust me; trust healthy multiparty competition. It creates better incentives, stronger accountability and more trustworthy government. My job is to get us there.

Moore: People lose trust when public officials profit from their positions or taxpayer dollars are wasted. I’ve backed the Stop Insider Trading Act, introduced legislation to prohibit prediction-market betting on elections, government actions, war and other dangerous events, and proposed stronger tools to combat Medicare and Medicaid fraud. Public service should be about serving the public with transparency and accountability.

Utahns told us affordability is their second-highest priority in this election. How would you help Utahns afford housing, groceries, gas and other day-to-day expenses?

Bowen: When Washington spends far more than it has, it cranks up the dollar printing press, causing inflation and higher interest rates. Politicians benefit, but you pay for it because everything becomes more expensive. Housing affordability is directly tied to interest rates, so it’s a double whammy. Rein in Washington’s drunken-sailor spending and we start to have sanity with prices at home. I’m committed to doing that by not voting to increase the debt limit and by not voting for deficit spending.

Cottam: Did not answer.

Crosby: First and foremost, we assert the Constitutional authority of Congress and remove the broad tariff regime that has hurt every person and family in our communities, especially our small business owners, farmers and ranchers.

Moesinger: A soaring stock market is not good enough when many of us are struggling to afford housing and other necessities. There is no single ideological solution to this problem. Removing unnecessary regulatory barriers, encouraging zoning reforms that allow more homes to be built, evaluating housing assistance for effectiveness, and investing in infrastructure and financing for additional housing are all parts of the answer.

Moore: Affordability starts with reversing inflationary policies and letting families keep more of what they earn. In the last 18 months, Republicans increased the Child Tax Credit to $2,200, raised the standard deduction, and delivered tax relief for seniors, tipped workers and overtime. I’ve also advanced small-business growth and affordable housing for junior enlisted service members. I’ll keep fighting for lower taxes, higher wages, more housing and American energy.

Water resources were also a top concern for voters. What policies would you support as Utah looks to balance growth with preservation of the Great Salt Lake and the Colorado River?

Bowen: Our pioneer ancestors wisely required a beneficial use test for water rights. They knew it was necessary for life and to gain a water right you had to prove culinary or agricultural use. The Box Elder data center deceptively says it has enough water without telling you where the billions of gallons required for power production cooling will come from. Protect our water for sustaining life. Also, Utah should vigorously defend our Colorado River Compact water allocations.

Cottam: Did not answer.

Crosby: I support securing funding to help restore Utah’s aging water infrastructure and removing the invasive phragmites around the shore. I also support the current plan proposed by several organizations to secure leased water rights, a plan which should be supported with federal funding as this is an interstate concern. This would also include simplifying existing regulatory barriers among federal agencies if/when improvement projects require multi-agency approvals.

Moesinger: Utah is already developing serious policies to improve the health of the Great Salt Lake. Voluntary water leasing, public education and conservation, incentives for smarter water use, and continued research are all parts of that effort. The proposed $1 billion in federal assistance would target improved water flows, ecosystem restoration and invasive species removal. Those priorities complement the work Utah has already begun, and should be carefully monitored for effectiveness.

Moore: Utah needs to grow responsibly while protecting the water resources that sustain our communities and economy. I helped enact the Saline Lake Ecosystems Act to improve scientific monitoring of the Great Salt Lake. I support better data, conservation and locally driven solutions, and I would bring that same collaborative, state-focused approach to the Colorado River.

What is another topic you care about and want to address if elected to public office?

Bowen: Our national debt is out of control and now threatens our national security. We spent more on interest last year than on national defense, almost $1 trillion just in interest! And with interest rates rising, it will only get worse. It isn’t sustainable. The national debt is not a Democrat problem or a Republican problem. It is an American problem, and nothing exposes the failure of the two-party system more clearly than the national debt. It will destroy our country if not checked.

Cottam: Did not answer.

Crosby: I want to see systemic overhauls to our current federal system that bring accountability and transparency back to government, so we can rebuild trust. Ban stock and crypto trades for Congress, senior Executive [Branch] officials and their immediate families. Put a five-year ban on lobbying for former members of Congress and their senior staff. Enact an enforceable code of ethics for the judiciary, including the Supreme Court. Overturn [the Supreme Court’s decision on] Citizens United and get all corporate and dark money out of politics.

Moesinger: Multiparty democracy is my No. 1 focus. It will give us healthy political competition, productive disagreement in place of useless bickering, and improved accountability to voters. In order to get there, we need (1) Ranked-Choice Voting: Voters rank candidates instead of choosing only one. And (2), Multi-Member House Districts: Larger districts elect several representatives, making proportional representation and additional parties viable.

Moore: I’m laser-focused on debt and deficits, so the next generation isn’t crushed by Washington’s fiscal irresponsibility. Republicans have reduced the year-over-year deficit, but we’re just getting started. We need budget reform, stable federal programs, and less fraud and waste. Through my Debt and Deficit Task Force in Ogden and my work on the House Budget Committee, I’m pushing the serious fiscal reforms Utahns are demanding.

How will you vote on Constitutional Amendment A? If passed, the amendment will stop the practice of publishing the full text of amendments and ballot questions by lawmakers in a newspaper for 60 days ahead of an election and instead require that text to be published on two state websites.

Bowen: Against.

Cottam: Did not answer.

Crosby: Against.

Moesinger: For.

Moore: For.

How will you vote on Constitutional Amendment B? If passed, citizen-proposed laws that increase taxes would need to be approved by 60% of voters, instead of a simple majority.

Bowen: For.

Cottam: Did not answer.

Crosby: Against.

Moesinger: Against.

Moore: For.

What’s your favorite book and why?

Bowen: My favorite book is the Bible, because it teaches us about Jesus Christ, the creation of the world, and that we have a loving Heavenly Father. I love the first-hand accounts of Jesus’ life. I also love the Book of Mormon and other divinely inspired scripture.

Cottam: Did not answer.

Crosby: Right now, it would be “Team of Rivals.” It is an incredibly well-written exploration of how effective leadership can bring together people with different backgrounds, skills and approaches to solve a problem bigger than any single person.

Moesinger: My favorite political science book: “Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop.: My favorite recent book: ”Lonesome Dove." My favorite book of all time: “Over the Edge of the World.”

Moore: Recent reads include Carney’s “Family Unfriendly,” Reeves’ “Of Boys and Men,” Levin’s “American Covenant,” Haidt’s “The Anxious Generation” and AEI’s “We Hold These Truths.” But my favorite is still “The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever.”