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Official portrait, 2019

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Utah's 4th district
In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Mia Love
Succeeded by	Burgess Owens
Mayor of Salt Lake County
In office January 7, 2013 – January 2, 2019
Deputy	Nichole Dunn
Preceded by	Peter Corroon
Succeeded by	Jenny Wilson
Member of the Utah State Senate from the 2nd district
In office December 19, 2009 – November 13, 2012
Preceded by	Scott McCoy
Succeeded by	Jim Dabakis

Personal details
Born	Benjamin Michael McAdams (1974-12-05) December 5, 1974 (age 50) West Bountiful, Utah, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Julie McAdams
Children	4
Education	University of Utah (BA) Columbia University (JD)

Benjamin Michael McAdams (born December 5, 1974) is an American politician and lawyer. He served as a U.S. representative for Utah's 4th congressional district from 2019 to 2021. This means he was one of the people who represented Utah in the U.S. Congress. He was the only Democrat from Utah in Congress at that time.

Before going to Congress, McAdams was the mayor of Salt Lake County from 2013 to 2019. He also served as a Utah state senator from 2009 to 2012. He was elected to Congress in 2018, but lost his reelection bid in 2020.

Early Life and Education

Ben McAdams was born in West Bountiful, Utah. He went to the University of Utah and earned a bachelor's degree in political science. Later, he studied law at Columbia Law School in New York City.

Early Career and Public Service

Becoming a Lawyer

After finishing law school, McAdams worked as a lawyer in New York City. He then moved back to Utah and continued his legal career in Salt Lake City. He also worked as a senior advisor for the Salt Lake City Mayor, Ralph Becker. McAdams also taught law at the University of Utah College of Law.

Serving in the Utah Senate

In 2009, McAdams was chosen to be a state senator for Utah's second district. He was elected for a full four-year term in 2010.

As a senator, McAdams worked on different laws. In 2011, he suggested a bill to stop discrimination in jobs and housing against gay and transgender people in Utah. This bill did not pass at the time.

Mayor of Salt Lake County

McAdams and Secretary of Labor Tom Perez in Salt Lake City on January 30, 2015

Winning Elections

In 2011, McAdams announced he would run for mayor of Salt Lake County, Utah. He won the election in November 2012 with 54% of the votes. He was reelected for a second term in 2016.

Helping the Homeless

As mayor, McAdams was asked to find a new location for a homeless shelter outside of Salt Lake City. This was a difficult task because many communities did not want a shelter nearby.

To understand the issue better, McAdams spent two nights pretending to be homeless on the streets of Salt Lake City. He wanted to learn firsthand about the challenges people faced. He pushed for a new way to help people experiencing homelessness.

Managing Money and Growth

In 2014, McAdams supported renewing a special tax called the Zoos, Arts, and Parks (ZAP) tax. This small tax helps fund many arts, cultural groups, and parks in Salt Lake County. Voters approved it with almost 77% in favor.

McAdams also worked on the county's budget. He made sure there were funds for public safety, like opening a jail and hiring more officers. He aimed to do this without raising taxes. He also supported a bill that allowed towns in Salt Lake County to decide how they wanted to be governed. This led to the town of Millcreek becoming its own city.

He also helped create a "pay-for-success" program for preschools. This program allowed investors to fund preschools and get a return if the programs met certain goals.

U.S. House of Representatives

Running for Congress

2018 Election

In 2017, McAdams announced he would run for Congress against the Republican representative, Mia Love. He won the Democratic nomination easily. During his campaign, he said he would not support Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House if elected. This showed he wanted to be seen as a moderate Democrat.

The election was very close. McAdams won by only 694 votes, which was a tiny difference. This made him the first Democrat elected to Congress from Utah since 2012.

2020 Election

In 2020, McAdams ran for reelection. He was challenged by Republican Burgess Owens, a former NFL player. The election was again very close. McAdams lost to Owens by about 3,000 votes. This was one of the closest House races in the country that year.

Time in Congress

McAdams was the only Democrat representing Utah in Congress during his term. He often tried to work with members from both parties.

He voted for Stephanie Murphy, another Democrat, for House Speaker, instead of Nancy Pelosi. He was also one of many members of Congress who chose to have their pay stopped during the 2018–19 government shutdown.

In 2019, McAdams suggested a law to add a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This amendment would require the government to spend only what it takes in, except during wars or recessions. He believed this was important because of the country's large debt.

McAdams also introduced a bill to help victims of Ponzi schemes get their money back. This bill passed the House of Representatives with support from both parties. He also worked to prevent the testing of nuclear weapons, saying it harms people and the environment.

Committees and Groups

While in Congress, McAdams was part of several important committees:

Committee on Financial Services: This committee deals with banks, money, and the economy.
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: This committee focuses on science, space, and new technologies.

He was also a member of several groups (caucuses) in Congress, including the Blue Dog Coalition, which is a group of moderate Democrats.

Political Beliefs

McAdams describes himself as a moderate Democrat. He often talks about the importance of working with Republicans to solve problems.

Money and Economy

McAdams did not support the 2017 tax cuts because he thought they would increase the national debt too much. He believes in reducing the federal deficit.

He voted against a bill to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. He said he supports a higher minimum wage, but thinks the amount should be based on the cost of living in different areas. He also supported the USMCA trade agreement.

Environment and Energy

McAdams supports using more renewable energy sources and developing new technologies. He wants to improve Utah's air quality, which is often poor in urban areas. He asked for more federal money for electric buses and for projects like the FrontRunner train system.

He believes that climate change is a serious problem and wants both parties to work together to fix it. He voted to block the Trump administration from leaving the Paris Agreement, which is an international agreement to fight climate change.

Gun Laws

McAdams owns firearms and supports the Second Amendment. However, he also believes in more responsible gun ownership laws.

In 2019, he voted for a bill that requires background checks for all gun buyers. He also voted for a rule that would notify immigration officials if an undocumented person tried to buy a gun.

Healthcare

As Salt Lake County mayor, McAdams wanted Congress to fix the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) instead of getting rid of it. He also supported renewing the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). He does not support a "Medicare-for-all" type of healthcare plan.

Immigration

McAdams wants to see changes to immigration laws. He supports securing borders, allowing more legal immigration, and finding a permanent solution for "Dreamers" (young people brought to the U.S. as children).

During the 2018–19 government shutdown, he said he would accept funding for border protection, possibly including a wall, if it was part of a larger deal that included immigration reform and help for Dreamers.

LGBT Rights

McAdams supports same-sex marriage. He believes that all families should be treated equally under the law. In 2019, he voted for the Equality Act, which would stop discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in many areas like jobs and housing.

Views on President Trump

Before the Trump–Ukraine scandal, McAdams was careful about the idea of impeaching President Trump. However, after a whistleblower complaint was released, he supported an impeachment inquiry. In December 2019, he voted for both articles of impeachment against Trump. He said he believed the evidence showed Trump tried to get help from Ukraine for his 2020 reelection.

McAdams also criticized Speaker Nancy Pelosi for tearing up her copy of Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address. He called it "very disappointing."

Personal Life

Ben McAdams is one of six children. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served a mission in Brazil in the 1990s. He and his wife, Julie, have four children.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, McAdams tested positive for COVID-19 in March 2020. He was hospitalized for a week due to severe breathing problems but later recovered.