Congressman Chris Stewart has a challenger for his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Park City businesswoman Charlene Albarran is running as a democrat for Utah’s second district.
She says she decided to enter the race because she doesn’t think average Utahns are getting fair representation in Congress. “I feel that most Utahns think the way I do,” she says. “I’m not far right nor far left.”
Albarran says minority groups especially have almost no voice on major issues and she wants to change that. Her platform includes pressing state leaders to expand Medicaid, lowering interest rates on student loans and supporting the Every Student Succeeds Act, which she pointed out incumbent Chris Stewart voted against.
She also wants to raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour. “There is a fine line of raising the minimum wage to not affect small businesses, but the people earning $7.25 an hour cannot earn a decent living right now,” she says.
Albarran grew up in Idaho and received a bachelor’s degree in math and statistics from Boise State University. She and her husband Roberto have spent time living in Mexico City, where she opened a shelter for homeless men, women and children. She has also run a home for victims of domestic violence and homeless women in Salt Lake City.
