Christopher Rawlins

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Christopher Rawlins

United Utah Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

Brigham Young University, 2010

Law

Georgetown University Law Center, 2013

Personal

Birthplace

Logan, UT

Religion

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon)

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign X

Christopher Rawlins (United Utah Party) ran for election to the Utah House of Representatives to represent District 6. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Rawlins completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Christopher Rawlins was born in Logan, Utah. He earned a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University in 2010 and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2013. His professional experience includes working as an attorney.

Elections

2020

See also: Utah House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Utah House of Representatives District 6

Incumbent Cory Maloy defeated Christopher Rawlins in the general election for Utah House of Representatives District 6 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cory Maloy (R)	80.4	19,551
		Christopher Rawlins (United Utah Party)	19.6	4,767

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 24,318
= 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 6

Incumbent Cory Maloy advanced from the Republican convention for Utah House of Representatives District 6 on April 25, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Cory Maloy (R)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. 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.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Christopher Rawlins completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rawlins' 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 am a native Utahn. I grew up in Orem and now live in Lehi. I received a History BA from Brigham Young University in 2010, and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center in 2013. I work as in-house counsel for a local software company.

In 2011 I married Lacie Hales, and we have 3 beautiful daughters.

I love spending time with my family. I like board games and sports (both playing and watching). I also enjoy cycling and amateur astronomy.

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?

• Better Government for Utah - Our elected officials should do a better job than I believe they are currently doing at representing us, being accountable, and effectively addressing the problems affecting Utah citizens and families.
• Representing the Middle - Both main parties are being pulled to their extremes, but most voters find themselves somewhere in the middle. We should reject partisan extremism and have a government that reflects the moderate majority.
• Common Sense and Practical Solutions - Most things should not be an ideological fight. Using the best information we have, we should come up with solutions that will actually help solve problems.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Government Reform - Government should work for the people. The powers of government should never be used to favor one individual or political group over another. We need to improve the systems of government. We need to protect the independent redistricting referendum that was passed by Utah voters. We also need ranked choice voting and term limits.

Energy and the Environment - Our population continues to grow, and we continue to use more energy. We also continue to see harmful air pollution and winter inversions. We should seek to improve our energy efficiency, reduce harmful air pollutants, and protect this unique and beautiful place that we love.

Infrastructure - We should build now for the communities that we want to have in the future. This includes well-planned developments, roads, and public transportation options.

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

No one source fully describes my political philosophy, but I am currently listening to the audiobook The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism, by Doris Kearns Goodwin, so it is fresh in my mind. This book illustrates many important things I believe in. I am impressed with how Theodore Roosevelt changed his position as he gained new perspectives, and how he was willing to take on entrenched elements of his party to bring about reforms he believed in. I think it's instructive how clearly we can see that corruption in business and government created unfair systems that wrongly hurt large portions of the population. I am encouraged by how investigative journalism, with facts and compelling stories, was able to bring about change in the views of the population and that ultimately, change did occur through democratic processes.

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

Integrity and Credibility. We have become too tolerant of politicians changing their views to match whatever outcome is most convenient for them or beneficial to their party. If something is wrong, it should be wrong no matter who does it, and leaders should live by the standards they set for others.

Humility. No one has the all the answers. It is only by working together, accepting constructive feedback, and being willing to change your mind in light of learning additional information or perspectives that we will arrive at the best solutions.

Compassion. Being an elected official is, by definition, a position of privilege. Elected officials have a duty to represent and help those not in that position.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I can learn a lot of information about new topics very quickly, and use that knowledge to make informed decisions.

I can accept feedback and constructive criticism.

I am a good communicator in both writing and speaking. I can clearly articulate my views on a topic, and generally I am able to understand what other people are trying to convey as well.

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

To work hard and in the interest of the citizens of Utah, always. Sometimes, different interests conflict. In those situations, we should work to come up with creative solutions to try to minimize the apparent conflict. When that can't be done, we should pick solutions that will have the most positive overall effect.

To listen to constituents - their concerns, beliefs, and ideas - and then represent them in crafting public policy. Consistently engaging with constituents will lead to better outcomes.

What legacy would you like to leave?

In this context, that of a dedicated public servant who worked to make the state better for everyone.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember Operation Desert Storm; I was 5.

What is your favorite book? Why?

If we're talking about fiction, I love East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. I think it is a beautifully told story with deep characters and a powerful message.

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

It can be, but I do not believe it is required. During law school, I interned in the US Senate twice. Those were good experiences. However, everyone has interacted with government, and many people have good ideas on how to improve it. We should not leave state government to a small class of political elites. Focusing on previous government or political experience can lead to legislators staying in office too long, where there is the risk of them losing touch with their constituents or being inappropriately influenced by special interests (which is why I favor term limits).

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

I believe our greatest challenge will be handling our growth while preserving and improving things that make this a great place to live. We need to invest in our schools, invest in our infrastructure, and protect our natural resources so that they can be enjoyed by our children and grandchildren. We will need to carefully manage our finances to make this possible.

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

It is a necessity. The legislative session is too short, and the issues facing the state are too diverse, to try to act independently. We must work together, regardless of party affiliation, to learn from each other, gather the best ideas, and enact the best solutions. While campaigning, I have built great relationships with other United Utah Party candidates. Being able to collaborate based on relationships of trust has led to better outcomes, even at this level. I would follow the same approach in the legislature.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I favor redistricting by an independent commission, with a strict charge to not consider the political effects of the districts drawn. I believe that the goal should be to make districts out of areas that make sense geographically and demographically. In Utah, the majority of our population exists in three valleys along the Wasatch front: Ogden Valley, Salt Lake Valley, and Utah Valley. Then we have a large rural population. I believe that the idea of having one district for each valley, and then a rural district, is a good place to start. I am definitely open to consider other ideas from experts on this.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Public Utilities and Technology; Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment; Transportation.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

Yes, I would love to be in party leadership if our party is elected to the legislature. I would like to listen to different ideas and help craft policy solutions that would have broad support.

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

I do not currently plan on running for a different office. However, after my experience with this campaign, I would consider running for any office where I felt that I was qualified and could have a positive impact.

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.

See also

2020 Elections

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Government

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External links

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Footnotes

[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

John Arthur (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)