With the first batch of votes counted after the polls closed Tuesday night, Provo Mayor John Curtis, the Republican contender, has taken a commanding lead in the race to fill Utah’s vacant congressional seat.
He holds a roughly 34 percentage point lead over his nearest competitor, Democrat Kathie Allen, in the earliest count with Curtis collecting nearly 60 percent. The new United Utah Party’s Jim Bennett came in third at 9 percent.
Even in Salt Lake County, where Democrats are expected to do their best, Curtis slightly edged out Allen. And he’s so far picked up more than five times the votes in Utah County, which includes about 60 percent of the registered Republicans in the 3rd Congressional District.