Parry to run as Democrat for seat Rob Bishop is vacating

Darren Parry tells For the People host Jason Williams why he decided to run

LOGAN — It’s an open field for the First Congressional District in Utah. This is a race that will have no incumbent with Congressman Rob Bishop planning to retire his office, but will run as a Lieutenant Governor candidate. With no incumbent in play, Democrats see an advantage in the race. On KVNU’s For the People program on Thursday, Darren Parry announced he will run for the District 1 seat.

“I did think about it, it didn’t come lightly. There were a lot of sleepless nights over the last few months. But at the end of the day, I decided that, through a lot of prayer and just personal growth, and speaking with my wife and family, we decided to run for Congress. So…I’m in,” Parry announced.

He said he wouldn’t run if he didn’t feel that he had a really good chance to win. A Democrat hasn’t won the seat for about 45 years, that being Weber County Democrat Gunn McKay. Parry said he’s lived his whole life to build bridges and to extend a hand in friendship. He is saddened by the political divisiveness that permeates through society but he said he hopes to help change that.

“And if I can be a bridge and give a voice to those who never had a voice, or to help those who are marginalized in our society, I mean, that’s who we are. I hear ‘Utah values’ all the time, and Utah values is valuing the individual, regardless of what our beliefs are. And so that’s why I’m running, that and my grandchildren.”

Parry said he will still work his “day job” as he put it, serving as chairman of the Shoshone Nation and still raising money for the Cultural Interpretive Center at the site of the Bear River Massacre north of Preston, Idaho. They hope to break ground on that this summer.

You can hear the entire interview with Parry below.

AUDIO: Darren Parry announces his candidacy for 1st District Congress on KVNU’s For the People on 2/20/2020

 

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2 Comments

  • Nan Bennett February 21, 2020 at 9:38 am Reply

    Darren Parry, you will have my vote!

  • Jason E Cornelius February 24, 2020 at 12:09 pm Reply

    Great candidate. I will vote for him!

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