SALT LAKE CITY — The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear former Utah candidate for governor Phil Lyman's petition challenging the Republican primary election.
Lyman's case was included Monday in a long list of orders denying petitions for certiorari, meaning the nation's top court will not be taking them up. The Utah Supreme Court previously rejected Lyman's request to remove Governor Spencer Cox and other top GOP candidates from the ballot.
Lyman filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, essentially arguing that by winning the Utah Republican Party convention nomination last year with 67% of the delegate vote, he should have been the party's sole nominee. He challenged Utah laws that allow candidates to gather signatures to earn a spot on the primary ballot.
Gov. Cox, who lost at the state party convention, gathered signatures to earn a spot on the GOP primary ballot and ended up winning that election before going on to win November's general election.
“We are moving to the next step which will be a request for rehearing,” said Lyman after the announcement.
A representative of Governor Cox's re-election campaign also did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
