Kraig Powell

Kraig J. Powell^[2] (born March 18, 1966 in Tacoma, Washington) is an American politician and a Republican member of the Utah House of Representatives representing District 54 since January 1, 2009. ^[3]

Early Life and Education

Kraig Powell was born in Tacoma, Washington. He earned his BA in English from Willamette University, his MA and PhD in government from the University of Virginia, and his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.. He worked as a Capitol Intern for the U.S. Senate Labor Committee, a Senior Law Clerk at the Illinois Supreme Court, a briefing Attorney, Texas Court of Appeals, and a City attorney in Midway, UT. He now lives in Heber, UT, with his wife Kim and their four children: Kristopher, Benjamin, Jessica, and Sarah.^[4]

Political Career

Kraig was first elected on November 4, 2008, and last elected on November 6, 2012.^[5] During the 2014 General Legislative Session, he served on the House Government Operations Committee, the House Retirement and Independent Entities Committee, and the House Education Committee.^[6]

2014 Sponsored Legislation

^[7]

Representative Powell also floor sponsored two bills: SB 12 and SB 28.^[8]

Pivotal Legislation

Representative Powell had two pieces of controversial legislation during the 2014 General Session: HJR 8 and HB 285. HJR proposed that Utah be part of a Constitutional Convention to add a balanced budget Amendment to the Constitution. HB 285 sought to "take down the Zion Curtain", or in other words to make less strict laws about alcohol sales in Utah. There were many media reports on both bills (they also both failed).

Elections

• 2012 Powell was unopposed for the June 26, 2012 Republican Primary^[9] and won the November 6, 2012 General election with 9,252 votes (59.3%) against Democratic nominee Chris Robinson.^[10]

• 2008 When District 54 Republican Representative Gordon E. Snow left the Legislature and left the seat open, Powell was one of two from among three candidates selected by the Republican convention for the June 24, 2008 Republican Primary, which Powell won with 2,052 votes (51.6%)^[11] and won the three-way November 4, 2008 General election with 9,353 votes (67.4%) against Democratic nominee Neil Anderton and Constitution candidate Douglas Thompson,^[12] who had run for the seat in 2004.

• 2010 Powell was unopposed for both the June 22, 2010 Republican Primary^[13] and the November 2, 2010 General election, winning with 9,540 votes.^[14]

References

• All information for Representative Powell's bills in 2014 can be found here:

External links

• Official page at the Utah State Legislature
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Kraig Powell at Ballotpedia
• Kraig Powell at the National Institute on Money in State Politics