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Candidate

CJ Christina Hernandez

State SenateDemocrat

UT-SD-5 State Senate

Hispanic·Weber State University National Advisory Council Member

Why This Race Matters

CJ Christina Hernandez is running against Dakota Wurth (D, primary); Jill Koford (R, general).

Open seat after Sen. Ann Millner (R), former Weber State University president and Senate Majority Whip since 2015, did not file for reelection. District covers Davis, Morgan, and Weber counties. Jill Koford, a first-term Republican House member from Ogden, is running unopposed in the GOP primary.

Two-way Democratic primary (CJ Hernandez vs Dakota Wurth) on June 23, 2026 with a Democratic convention April 25, 2026. Hernandez brings unique Foreign Service and diplomatic credentials to the race. Utah Senate Democrats' 2026 priorities focus on lowering costs for families, strengthening education and healthcare, and protecting children.

Key dates to watch: Primary on June 23, 2026 and General Election on November 3, 2026.

About

CJ Christina Hernandez is a retired senior-level U.S. diplomat and Democratic candidate for Utah State Senate District 5 (Davis, Morgan, and Weber counties). A Utah native and fluent Spanish speaker, she specialized in operational services, human rights, and consular programs during her Foreign Service career, with assignments in Los Angeles, Yucatan, Washington D.C., Budapest, Mexico City, South Korea, and Fiji. She also served as Director of the Office of Foreign Missions at the U.S. Department of State's Los Angeles Regional Office, where she worked with foreign officials from 104 countries. She is also running for Ogden City School Board District 4.

Family & Heritage

Utah native and widowed mother to a child with profound disabilities. Based in Ogden, Utah. Fluent Spanish speaker with extensive career postings in Mexico.

Political Career

Before Politics

U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Reservist (retired); Director, Office of Foreign Missions, Los Angeles Regional Office (worked with officials from 104 countries); Senior U.S. Diplomat with assignments in Los Angeles, Yucatan, Washington D.C., Budapest, Mexico City, South Korea, and Fiji; U.S. Air Force civilian at Hill Air Force Base managing acquisitions and public/private partnerships; Defense Logistics Agency in Wiesbaden, Germany and Italy managing major acquisitions; Co-owner of Xyklus, a government acquisition consulting company

Education

MSS in Management & Human Resources, Utah State University; BA in Communications/Public Relations, Weber State University

Key Issues & Priorities

*Public servant experience
*government and community relations
*program management
*human resources
*international agreements
*human rights advocacy

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