Utah Republican Party chair will not run for 2nd term

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The Utah Republican Party’s chairman has announced that he will not run for a second term.

Derek Brown announced Tuesday he would avoid running again in order to spend more time with his family, saying that he is ready to “pass the baton.”

“Party leadership service, after all, is no different from public service. It is designed to be seasonal,” Brown wrote. “You commit to serving 100% for a short season, wear yourself out in the process, and then pass the heavy baton to another who likewise feels that ‘subtle nudge’ to serve.”

The Utah Republican Party had issued a statement supporting Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump’s both times, and Republican Sen. Mike Lee, who backed Trump twice.

This was done as party members were attempting to censure Romney for his vote.

“The differences between our own Utah Republicans showcase a diversity of thought, in contrast to the danger of a party fixated on ‘unanimity of thought,’” the statement said.

Brown said party divisions did not play a role in his decision to step aside, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

He said in an email to supporters that many people had encouraged him to run again but he and his family have “critical life events” upcoming. Brown, who also works as a Utah lobbyist, said his family needs a father “with one full-time job - not two.”