Morning Digest: Crowded GOP field for Utah special election suddenly isn't so crowded

_{The Morning Digest is compiled by David Nir, Jeff Singer, and Stephen Wolf, with additional contributions from the Daily Kos Elections team.}

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Leading Off

● UT-02: The number of Republicans campaigning to succeed outgoing Rep. Chris Stewart in the gerrymandered 2nd District dramatically shrank from 13 to just five Saturday after the congressman’s former chief legal counsel and chosen successor, Celeste Maloy, turned in an unexpected victory at that day’s party convention. Utah allows candidates to reach the primary ballot either by competing at party gatherings or turning in signatures, and Maloy earned her spot in the Sept. 5 special primary by beating the apparent frontrunner, former state House Speaker Greg Hughes, in the fifth and final round of voting.