Mike Kennedy | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2025 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromUtah's3rd district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | John Curtis |
| Member of theUtah Senate | |
| In office January 5, 2021 – January 1, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Dan Hemmert |
| Succeeded by | Brady Brammer |
| Constituency | 14th district (2021–2023) 21st district (2023–2025) |
| Member of theUtah House of Representatives from the 27th district | |
| In office January 1, 2013 – January 1, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | John Dougall |
| Succeeded by | Brady Brammer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Steven Kennedy (1969-02-02)February 2, 1969 (age 57) Lansing, Michigan, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Katrina Kennedy |
| Children | 8 |
| Education | Brigham Young University (BS,JD) Michigan State University (MD) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Michael Steven Kennedy[1] (born February 2, 1969)[2] is an American politician, attorney, and physician serving as theU.S. representative fromUtah’s 3rd congressional district since 2025. He previously served as aRepublican member of theUtah Senate from 2021 to 2025 and as a member of theUtah House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019.[3][4] Kennedy was a candidate in the2018 U.S. Senate election in Utah. He received the most votes at the Utah State Republican Convention but was defeated byMitt Romney in the subsequent primary for the Republican nomination.[5]
In June of2024, Kennedy won the Republican nomination forUtah's 3rd congressional district with 39%[6] of the vote in a crowded field of 5 candidates despite being outspent 5-1 and 2-1 by the top two competitors. He had previously won the Utah Republican Party nominating convention after six rounds of voting.[7]
Kennedy earned hisBS fromBrigham Young University. While a student at BYU, Kennedy took two years off to serve as a missionary forthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[8]
He earned hisMD fromMichigan State University and hisJD from Brigham Young University'sJ. Reuben Clark Law School while taking law classes at night and running his medical practice during the day. Kennedy lives inAlpine, Utah, where he works as a family doctor for Premier Family Medical Group.[9][10]
When District 27 incumbent Republican RepresentativeJohn Dougall ran forstate auditor and left the seat open, Kennedy was selected as one of two candidates from five by the Republican convention for the June 26, 2012 Republican primary which he won with 2,586 votes (52.9%)[11] and won the November 6, 2012 general election with 14,335 votes (92.1%) againstConstitution candidate Scott Morgan.[12]
During the 2014 general election, Kennedy faced Democratic nominee William McGree, winning with 6,997 votes (88.4%).
During the 2016 legislative session, Kennedy served on the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee, the House Health and Human Services Committee, and the House Political Subdivisions Committee.[13]
On March 9, 2018, Kennedy distributed a letter to members of District 27 announcing that he would not seek re-election for the Utah House of Representatives. He instead opted torun for the U.S. Senate. On April 22, 2018, Kennedy edged outMitt Romney at the Republican Convention with 50.88% of the delegate votes. Romney came in a close second with 49.12%, allowing both to compete in the primary on June 26, 2018, but Kennedy would lose the primary to Mitt Romney.[14][15][16]
Kennedy drew attention as a vocal supporter of gun rights, even meeting with UtahGunExchange.com, a private gun exchange that would later have a presence atMarch For Our Lives near the Utah Capitol and the 2018 Chicago Peace March and Rally, where their militaristic vehicle included a replica .50-caliber machine gun.[17][18]
Kennedy announced his candidacy for Utah's 3rd congressional district on January 4, 2024,[19] two days[20] after the district's RepresentativeJohn Curtis announced his candidacy for the United StatesSenate.
Rep. Kennedy was sworn in to the119th United States Congress on January 3, 2025.
In April 2025, Kennedy traveled toEl Salvador[21][22] and received a tour ofCentro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), a maximum security prison used by theTrump administration to hold U.S. immigrants removed from the United States, including immigrants likeKilmar Abrego Garcia who were transported to the prison. After visiting the CECOT prison camp, Kennedy did not call for the repatriation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.[23]
For the 119th Congress:[24]
Source:[26]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromUtah's 3rd congressional district 2025–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 397th | Succeeded by |
| Territorial (1851–1895) |
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| Oneat-large seat (1895–1913) |
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| Two at-large seats (1913–1915) |
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| Districts (1915–present) (3rd district established in 1983) (4th district established in 2013) |
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