What Do Nate Blouin’s Old Social Media Posts Mean for State Democrats?

Published April 21, 2026 at 4:18 PM MDT

Nate Blouin, a Utah State Senator and leading progressive Democratic contender for Utah’s new congressional seat, faces a setback as vulgar online comments he made years ago recently came to light. The controversy also raises questions about the clout of the progressive wing of the party in the lead-up to the Democratic State Convention.

In the posts, Blouin ridiculed the LDS faith, mocked domestic violence, and threatened physical assault. He has since apologized, but the fallout comes as a recent campaign poll shows him running second in the Salt Lake County race, behind centrist candidate and former U.S. Representative Ben McAdams. The moment now tests whether Blouin can retain his status as a leading voice among the state’s progressive Democrats. Political reporters Sean Higgins and Robert Gehrke are among our guests to discuss the consequences of Blouin’s crude online posts and the ideological tensions within the Utah Democratic Party.

GUESTS

Robert Gehrke is a politics and government reporter for the S alt Lake Tribune.
Sean Higgins is a KUER politics reporter and co-host of the podcast “State Street.”
Gabi Finlayson is a senior partner at Elevate Strategies, a Democratic political consulting firm.
Mitchell Vice is the chair of the Utah State Progressive Caucus.