Utah House District 48: Nik Anderson vs. Jake Hunsaker
Two candidates for the June Republican Primary in south-west Salt Lake County.
About this position
Utah has 75 state representatives in its House of Representatives. Each House Representative serves around 45,000 Utah residents in their district.
Like their counterparts in the Senate, House Representatives are part-time legislators who serve passing bills and budgets during Utah’s yearly legislative session, which runs for 45 days from January to March. They also serve during each interim session and on various boards, committees and commissions.
Utah House District 48 comprises parts of southwest Salt Lake County, including parts of South Jordan, Herriman, and Riverton.
Candidates
Top priorities come from candidates’ official websites. We view this guide as merely a starting point. Please research more and reach out to the candidates directly to learn more about their issues and experience.
Find the values and attributes we’re looking for in candidates.
Nik Anderson
About: 20+ year resident of southwest Salt Lake County. Small business owner of a local events business.
Top priorities (from website): family first, personal responsibility, liberty and limited government
Insights: Mr. Anderson seems to be primarily running on frustration about COVID legislation. While we appreciate his perspective and stated desire to default to “no” on bills, we do note the bulk of his endorsements come from those we don’t feel best represent the values we’re seeking.
Jake Hunsaker
About: Utah native. Career in tech; currently serves in Republican party leadership roles within the state and local party.
Top priorities (from website): local advocate on growth and local control; governing with discipline and respect; fighting for Utah families and quality of life
Insights: Mr. Hunsaker is explicitly campaigning on building a big tent and Ronald Reagan conservative values, which is unusual in today’s politics. We’ve talked extensively with Mr. Hunsaker and feel confident that he will support funding for public education, stand against retributive partisan bills, and try to make data-backed decisions about public health and other important issues.
On the campaign trail Mr. Hunsaker has promised to “stay accessible, explain my reasoning and be accountable for both the intent and impact of the legislation I support.” (Salt Lake Tribune article)
Our Recommendation:
We recommend Mr. Hunsaker as the more experienced and moderate candidate in the June 2026 Republican Primary.
The winner of the Republican Primary will face Democratic candidate Bendye Walker in the November. Read more about this race.