Annette McRae and Ronald Winterton are running for Utah Senate District 20

Forward Party challenger Annette McRae is running against Republican incumbent Ronald Winterton in Utah Senate District 20, which covers Wasatch, Daggett, Summit, Uintah and Duchesne counties, Utah Public Radio reported. Winterton did not respond to the station's survey questions. ^[1]

McRae said the district's biggest challenge is making sure the communities that supply the state's water, energy, food and open space are not treated as an afterthought. She said she would work to protect water at its source, complete the Green River water projects and require transparency and local consent for major projects. She said she supports responsible energy and economic growth. ^[1]

On water, McRae said she supports upgrading aging infrastructure, expanding reuse systems and requiring large industrial users to use reclaimed or treated water where possible. She also said water-intensive projects should disclose their use before approval. ^[1]

McRae said she would push for a fair share of state funding for rural water systems, roads, housing, schools, emergency services, behavioral health and broadband. She also supports incentives to recruit and retain rural teachers and health care workers. She said she fully supports the Uintah Basin Railway, calling hardened rails safer than the highway, and wants the Uintah Basin prepared to serve as a regional recovery center if a major Wasatch Front disaster strains hospitals. ^[1]