Wasatch County Councilor Luke Searle is running for District 59 in the Utah House of Representatives.
Utah Rep. Mike Kohler, who began his legislative service in January 2021, will not seek reelection in the fall. District 59 represents Summit and Wasatch counties. Searle said Kohler has set a strong example during his term.
“I’m grateful for his support and committed to continuing that work,” Searle said.
Searle, a lifelong Republican, currently occupies County Council Seat A in an at-large capacity. His term began in 2023 and expires in January 2027. Searle said running for the Utah House instead of the County Council is a continuation of his public service and involvement in the Wasatch County community.
Searle said he would be able to represent the area on a larger scale if he were elected to District 59.
“I have never done public service to get rich. I’ve never done it because I think that I’m going to be this all-powerful person or anything. It’s just because I love my community,” he said.
Having grown up in the Heber Valley, Searle said he knows the area on a deeper level.
“I feel like there were some great things to be able to accomplish in the County Council, and I was happy to continue to do that, but with this opportunity, I want to bring our values to the legislature and work hard and be a good listener for the people of House District 59,” Searle said.
His campaign will focus on addressing “high and flawed” property taxes. Searle also said he will focus on strengthening workforce education across Utah with a focus on “the basics,” ensuring limited and accountable government.
Searle sits on the Wasatch County Library Board, the North Village Special Service District administrative board and works with Peace House. He is also a business instructor for the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) at Wasatch High School. CAPS courses include agriculture, digital design, engineering and innovation — where students work on one project for an entire semester.
Searle said he is passionate about teaching and wants to make traditional values a part of his campaign. Showing up on time, dressing professionally, good communication, writing emails — these are all skills Searle said he helps students understand and adopt. He said they are skills that benefit students when they advance from the classroom to the workplace.
“I want to, in the Legislature, try to share and have more experiences across our state in rural areas for non-traditional students that are homeschooled or are just taking different paths,” Searle said. “I just feel really strongly in today’s age, education needs to be able to meet the growing changes of our workplace.”
Searle said, in some ways, schooling has come “off-track.” But there are aspects of education that should continue to guide students toward better futures. Searle said the state should be helping to prepare these kids for their future success, something he has realized while serving Wasatch County.
“I really think now on the County Council, what I’ve learned and what I see every day on the education side is why I feel like I’m ready for this next step, for the state level,” he said.
The candidacy filing period begins Friday and ends Thursday, Jan. 8. The at-large Seat A on the County Council will be up for grabs with Searle leaving the position at the end of the year. Seat C, which covers much of Heber City, and Seat F, which includes Hideout, will also be on the ballot.