Utah Republican Celeste Maloy was officially sworn into the House on Tuesday, just a week after winning the special election to succeed her former boss, Rep. Chris Stewart, in Utah’s 2nd Congressional District.
“It is an absolute honor and privilege to be here right now. It’s very humbling because this is a special election,” Ms. Maloy said on the House floor during her swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 29.
“They let me have a few friends and family to come in the gallery, and I just want everyone on the floor to notice how many people are here to support me,” she added.
Ms. Maloy was sworn in by House Speaker Mike Johnson and introduced by Rep. John Curtis, who wrote in a post on X that Ms. Maloy is “a true southern Utahn” known for her “hard work and conservative values.”
Her appointment filled the last remaining vacancy in the House, where her vote will bolster Republicans’ slim majority as they work to complete the 2024 appropriations process.
Special Election
Voters in Utah’s 2nd Congressional District chose Ms. Maloy over Democrat state Sen. Kathleen Riebe to replace Mr. Stewart, a six-term Utah Republican who resigned in September to care for his ailing wife. He was first elected in 2012 and is a U.S. Air Force veteran.
“I can say with pride that I have been an effective leader for my beloved home state, and I’m honored to have played an important role in guiding our nation through some troubled times,” he said on May 31, when he announced his intentions to vacate his seat in the House. “My wife’s health concerns have made it necessary that I retire from Congress after an orderly transition can be ensured.”
Ms. Maloy served as Mr. Stewart’s chief counsel before he resigned. She was endorsed by the former congressman and was heavily favored to win heading into the Nov. 21 contest.
As with the September primary, the Cedar City, Utah, resident saw a strong showing of support from rural voters in her sprawling district, which spans the southern and western portions of the state up to Salt Lake City.
Her platform prioritized securing the U.S.–Mexico border, protecting religious freedom, reining in “out-of-control” federal spending, and giving Utah more control over its lands and resources.
With her victory, she becomes the fifth woman in the history of Utah’s congressional delegation.
