Dennis Roach (Utah)

Dennis Roach (United Utah Party) ran for election to the Utah House of Representatives to represent District 34. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Roach completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Dennis Roach was born in Millcreek, Utah. His career experience includes working in management.^[1]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Utah House of Representatives District 34

Incumbent Carol Moss defeated Karl Jurek and Dennis Roach in the general election for Utah House of Representatives District 34 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Carol Moss (D)	63.0	13,125
	Karl Jurek (R)	34.5	7,202
	Dennis Roach (United Utah Party)	2.5	519

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 20,846
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Carol Moss advanced from the Democratic primary for Utah House of Representatives District 34.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Karl Jurek advanced from the Republican primary for Utah House of Representatives District 34.

United Utah Party primary election

The United Utah Party primary election was canceled. Dennis Roach advanced from the United Utah Party primary for Utah House of Representatives District 34.

Democratic convention

Democratic convention for Utah House of Representatives District 34

Incumbent Carol Moss advanced from the Democratic convention for Utah House of Representatives District 34 on March 30, 2024.

		Candidate
✔		Carol Moss (D)

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican convention

Republican convention for Utah House of Representatives District 34

Karl Jurek advanced from the Republican convention for Utah House of Representatives District 34 on April 13, 2024.

		Candidate
✔		Karl Jurek (R)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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United Utah Party convention

United Utah Party convention for Utah House of Representatives District 34

Dennis Roach advanced from the United Utah Party convention for Utah House of Representatives District 34 on March 23, 2024.

		Candidate
✔		Dennis Roach (United Utah Party)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Roach in this election.

Pledges

Roach signed the following pledges.

U.S. Term Limits

2022

General election

General election for Utah State Senate District 14

Stephanie Pitcher defeated Dan Sorensen and Dennis Roach in the general election for Utah State Senate District 14 on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Stephanie Pitcher (D)	62.2	32,369
	Dan Sorensen (R)	36.0	18,737
	Dennis Roach (United Utah Party)	1.8	929

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 52,035
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Utah State Senate District 14

Stephanie Pitcher defeated Deondra Brown in the Democratic primary for Utah State Senate District 14 on June 28, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephanie Pitcher	80.0	5,786
	Submit photo	Deondra Brown	20.0	1,447

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,233
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Lisa Yoder (D)

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Dan Sorensen advanced from the Republican primary for Utah State Senate District 14.

United Utah Party primary election

The United Utah Party primary election was canceled. Dennis Roach advanced from the United Utah Party primary for Utah State Senate District 14.

Democratic convention

Democratic convention for Utah State Senate District 14

Deondra Brown and Stephanie Pitcher defeated Chuck Pruitt in the Democratic convention for Utah State Senate District 14 on April 9, 2022.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Deondra Brown (D)
✔		Stephanie Pitcher (D)
	Submit photo	Chuck Pruitt (D)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican convention

Republican convention for Utah State Senate District 14

Dan Sorensen advanced from the Republican convention for Utah State Senate District 14 on April 23, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Dan Sorensen (R)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

United Utah Party convention

United Utah Party convention for Utah State Senate District 14

Dennis Roach advanced from the United Utah Party convention for Utah State Senate District 14 on April 23, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Dennis Roach (United Utah Party)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Note: The Democratic convention advanced to two rounds of voting. In each round, candidates were eliminated or withdrew. After each round, delegates voted again until a winner was declared. The Democratic convention results above show only the vote totals from the final round of voting.^[2]

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Dennis Roach completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Roach's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in Utah's 2nd oldest city, Bountiful. My family and I moved to East Salt Lake County over 15 years ago.

I have over 2 decades of managerial and support experience and I've learned a lot about what it takes to get people to work together. I've spent the last 10 years volunteering my time to help serve our community working with local leaders.

When it comes to politics, religion or finance everyone has different backgrounds and ideas of what works best. One of the best things about living in America is our liberty to discuss these “sensitive” subjects freely.

Our current political system has become weighed down with extreme views that cause people to forget that we're still family, friends and neighbors.

I discuss my views in effort to persuade others and extend a hand of friendship if we don't agree.

There is a political party that is not Right, not Left and aims to put Utahns first. That is why I joined the United Utah Party and why I am asking for your vote.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The United Utah Party and I stand for the 5 E’s:
Economy: We support the free market system as the engine for economic growth. Public policy must promote economic opportunity for all, regardless of social and economic class.
Education: We support robust and accountable funding for public education in order to promote economic growth and prepare students to thrive in a changing world.
Environment: We advocate for responsible stewardship of Utah’s natural resources over the long term, especially with respect to our air and water. Equality: We support laws that provide protection against discrimination based on race, religion, gender, age, or sexual orientation. Every individual is of inherent worth, deserves respect, and has a right to participate fully in our shared political and economic life.
Ethical Government: We believe elected officials should act with integrity, uphold their oath of office, seek common ground on policy, and be accountable to their constituents rather than their political party. We call for greater transparency in governance and support electoral reforms that encourage voter participation and better reflect the public will. Learn more at UnitedUtah.org

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Protecting the Environment as our State grows over the next 50 years. There is a pressing need for housing but there are ways to address new development without erasing all the available green space to build it.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Lord of the Rings Samwise Gamgee "That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for"

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

To be honesty and have the ability to gather input from all constituents your represent, not just the narrow margins you were elected by.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Every new piece of legislation introduced for a vote needs the following questions asked:

-Who does it help?

-Who could it hurt?

-Why do we need it?

-What will it cost?

-Will/Do the majority of constituents from our district support it?

One of the best parts of independent representation is that every decision doesn't have to be looked at through the filters of a Right or Left leaning lens.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave the world in my immediate sphere of influence as good or better than I inherited it.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The executive branch should work closely with the legislative branch in shaping proposed legislation to ensure it considers the majority of impacted constituents.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Having representation stripped and undercut by a super majority that will stop at nothing to maintain and gain more legislative power.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

While helpful in some regards, not really. Career politicians often become out of step with those they represent because they are surrounded by and interacting with special interest groups and other legislators on a daily basis.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

There are common ground solutions in nearly every decision and most legislators will consider these. Unfortunately in todays polarized political climate, you are "all in" for the party or you are the antagonist. So yes, those that can establish relationships across the aisle while maintaining trust can are beneficial to those they represent.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

There is no single legislator I can recall that always got it right. Many have done incredible and amazing things to create where we are today (both good and bad). The more we can learn from those that have gone before us, while staying vigilant to the needs of the present is how we can achieve success.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

I will gladly serve wherever my community needs me.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I have hard many stories from the family friends and neighbors in my community. The most common theme among them is that they don't feel heard by those who currently govern.

Whether local, state or national there is a growing mistrust from the public. Exacerbated by the media and perpetuated by career political leaders who put partisan interest over commonsense government.

This is part of why I am running for office. To represent those voices

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Yes and No. When the threat is urgent, real and must be handled quickly than it may be very necessary but it should not be done without long term accountability.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

There are several issues I would look to move forward and sign onto. Many of them directly tie to gerrymandered redistricting or relaxed environmental restrictions.

What committees interest you?

House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee

House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee
House Education Committee

House Ethics Committee

House Revenue and Taxation Committee

House Rules Committee

Judiciary Committee

Political Subdivisions Committee

Transportation Committee

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Outside of security risks, it is absolutely necessary for a tax payer to know where their money is going. It is equally important to know who their representative is getting paid to consult while in office.

Do you support or oppose changes to the current state ballot initiative process? If so, what kind of changes would you consider?

I was pleased to hear that Amendment D of the 2024 election was blocked by the courts. Taking away the voice of the people in fear that they are being manipulated by foreign influence and only our elected representatives should be able to validate if initiatives should be voted on or not is a step in the wrong direction.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2022

Dennis Roach completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Roach's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Hello, I am running for Utah State Senate District 14 because I want my Friends, Neighbors and Community to have a choice in a representative that not only values what the 50%+ that elected them thinks, but considers ALL constituents in their decisions.

We have a diverse community and that means the typical Left or Right parties will leave some out due to partisan policy and decision making. I seek to represent everyone and find the middle ground and thank you for your consideration.

Dennis Roach -Lucky Husband and Father of Three -Independent / Moderate -Community Activist -Professional Leader -Out of the Box Solution Finder

-6th Generation Utahn

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Working Together - When leaders come together and set aside partisan agendas important things can get done
Environmental Stewardship - This is a Great State and we need to help preserve it for future generations
Education - The Children are our future and deserve our investment

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Each new piece of legislation needs the basic questions asked:

Who does it help?
Who could it hurt?
Why do we need it?
What will it cost?

Will constituents support it?

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Dennis Roach campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Utah House of Representatives District 34	Lost general	$36	$-83
2022	Utah State Senate District 14	Lost general	$0	$-121
Grand total			$36	$-204
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Utah House of Representatives District 34

Website

Personal

Instagram

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 11, 2024
↑ Facebook, "Salt Lake County Democratic Party post from April 9, 2022," accessed August 7, 2023

[show]

Current members of the Utah House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Mike Schultz

Majority Leader:Casey Snider

Minority Leader:Angela Romero

Representatives

District 1

Thomas Peterson (R)

District 2

Mike Petersen (R)

District 3

Jason Thompson (R)

District 4

Tiara Auxier (R)

District 5

Casey Snider (R)

District 6

Matt Gwynn (R)

District 7

Ryan Wilcox (R)

District 8

Jason Kyle (R)

District 9

Jake Sawyer (R)

District 10

Jill Koford (R)

District 11

Katy Hall (R)

District 12

Mike Schultz (R)

District 13

Karen Peterson (R)

District 14

Karianne Lisonbee (R)

District 15

Ariel Defay (R)

District 16

Trevor Lee (R)

District 17

Stewart Barlow (R)

District 18

Paul Cutler (R)

District 19

Raymond Ward (R)

District 20

Melissa Ballard (R)

District 21

Sandra Hollins (D)

District 22

Jen Dailey-Provost (D)

District 23

Hoang Nguyen (D)

District 24

Grant Miller (D)

District 25

Angela Romero (D)

District 26

Matt MacPherson (R)

District 27

Anthony Loubet (R)

District 28

Nicholeen Peck (R)

District 29

Bridger Bolinder (R)

District 30

Jake Fitisemanu (D)

District 31

Verona Mauga (D)

District 32

Sahara Hayes (D)

District 33

Doug Owens (D)

District 34

Carol Moss (D)

District 35

Rosalba Dominguez (D)

District 36

Jim Dunnigan (R)

District 37

Ashlee Matthews (D)

District 38

Cheryl Acton (R)

District 39

Ken Ivory (R)

District 40

Andrew Stoddard (D)

District 41

Gay Lynn Bennion (D)

District 42

Clint Okerlund (R)

District 43

Steven Eliason (R)

District 44

Jordan Teuscher (R)

District 45

Tracy Miller (R)

District 46

Cal Roberts (R)

District 47

Mark Strong (R)

District 48

Doug Fiefia (R)

District 49

Candice Pierucci (R)

District 50

Stephanie Gricius (R)

District 51

Leah Hansen (R)

District 52

Cory Maloy (R)

District 53

Kay Christofferson (R)

District 54

Kristen Chevrier (R)

District 55

Jon Hawkins (R)

District 56

Val Peterson (R)

District 57

Nelson Abbott (R)

District 58

David Shallenberger (R)

District 59

Mike Kohler (R)

District 60

Tyler Clancy (R)

District 61

Lisa Shepherd (R)

District 62

Norman Thurston (R)

District 63

Stephen Whyte (R)

District 64

Jefferson Burton (R)

District 65

Doug Welton (R)

District 66

Troy Shelley (R)

District 67

Christine Watkins (R)

District 68

Scott Chew (R)

District 69

Logan Monson (R)

District 70

Carl Albrecht (R)

District 71

Rex Shipp (R)

District 72

Joseph Elison (R)

District 73

Colin Jack (R)

District 74

Neil Walter (R)

District 75

Walt Brooks (R)

Republican Party (61)

Democratic Party (14)

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 11, 2024

[2] Facebook, "Salt Lake County Democratic Party post from April 9, 2022," accessed August 7, 2023

[1]

[2]

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Dennis Roach (Utah)

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Utah House of Representatives District 34

Democratic primary election

Republican primary election

United Utah Party primary election

Democratic convention

Democratic convention for Utah House of Representatives District 34

Republican convention

Republican convention for Utah House of Representatives District 34

United Utah Party convention

United Utah Party convention for Utah House of Representatives District 34

Endorsements

Pledges

2022

General election

General election for Utah State Senate District 14

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Utah State Senate District 14

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

United Utah Party primary election

Democratic convention

Democratic convention for Utah State Senate District 14

Republican convention

Republican convention for Utah State Senate District 14

United Utah Party convention

United Utah Party convention for Utah State Senate District 14

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

2022

Campaign finance summary

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

Get Engaged

Services

Additional analysis

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