A Salt Lake Tribune article recounts how 27-year-old civil engineer David Chappell, a self-described Democratic Socialists of America member who modeled his campaign on Zohran Mamdani, upset 12-year Republican incumbent Norm Thurston in heavily Republican Utah House District 62, making him the first Democrat to represent Utah County in the Legislature since 1996. Chappell led by 5.5 points with too few ballots left to close the gap, and says he'll push free school meals first this session, while Thurston credits a blue wave along the Wasatch Front and may run again in 2028.