Opening Statement

The Foundation

Good evening. It’s a privilege to be here. Considering the challenges in Provo and Springville—from managing growth to protecting our fiscal health—one factor determines effectiveness: results-oriented experience. This race is about the depth of understanding required to turn conservative principles into real results.

Public service shouldn’t begin at election time. Before I ever ran for the Legislature, I had already been serving for over a decade with people just like you in the Utah County Republican Party. Whether serving as a precinct officer, a delegate, or on the State Central Committee, I have been an active, continuous participant for more than two decades.

I understand our platform because I’ve worked side-by-side with the delegates who are the backbone of this grassroots movement. Consistency matters.

Economic Scrutiny

Policy is too important for brief sound bites. I also know all politics is local. My wife and I served for many years as Provo City neighborhood chairs—the kind of roll-up-your-sleeves work that truly impacts a community. Whether shepherding a neighborhood zoning issue then or overseeing a five hundred million dollar state budget now, I apply the same level of scrutiny and care.

Policy must be grounded in economic reality. As an economist with a PhD from Princeton who runs a small business, I focus on how government can stay out of the way. My policies focus on what actually works: I sponsored the legislation that made Utah the toughest state in the nation for DUIs. As a direct result, lives are being saved.

I’ve also demanded efficiency in healthcare. I passed legislation changing how pharmacy rebates are used. Now, the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit manager is adopting a national policy to pass those savings directly to you at the point of purchase. This same focus on efficiency applies to my efforts to reduce the tax on Social Security and streamlining property tax appeals.

National Impact & The Meticulous Standard

This work has resonated far beyond the walls of the Utah State Capitol. My legislation on occupational freedom and healthcare costs has garnered national attention, with other states looking to the models we’ve built here to lower costs and strip away red tape.

My focus is always on making the system perform better for you. In the Legislature, I’ve built a reputation for quality representation. This session, I was honored to be recognized by my colleagues as the “most meticulous” reader of bills. That recognition of technical expertise is a safeguard for you and every taxpayer. It’s my job to read the fine print, prevent government overreach, and ensure nothing “sneaks past” the public eye.

Closing & Commitment

Ultimately, this election is about who will evaluate the full impact and unintended consequences of every policy.

I have a proven track record of delivering results. I’m Norm Thurston, and I ask for your vote to keep working and delivering results for District 62.

Closing Remarks

A Commitment to Results

I want to express my sincere thanks to the delegates and neighbors who have been so involved in this process. Your willingness to serve is what keeps our representative system and our party strong.

Our discussions over the last several months have made one thing clear: good intentions are not enough. Governing a state as dynamic as Utah requires more than just identifying problems—it requires the technical expertise to solve them without creating unintended consequences that we will regret later.

I’ve always worked as part of a team to build a Utah that respects your wallet, your family, your work, and your community. My starting point is simple: it is far more likely that government is the problem than the solution. Our first consideration should always be whether less government and more market freedom would serve us better.

As we look toward the next two years, my focus remains on four foundational pillars:

Local Control

Whether it’s housing, growth, or education, the best solutions for Provo and Springville are not found in top-down mandates—they are found right here in our neighborhoods and local governments. We must respect appropriate local oversight, not government overreach.

Fiscal Reform

We must continue cutting taxes and eliminating hidden fees. I have been working to eliminate the double taxation on Social Security, because you should never be taxed twice on the same dollar. My commitment is simple: if the government doesn’t need to take even a single dollar from you to perform a core function of government, then they shouldn’t take it. It belongs to you and you should keep it.

Freedom

We need to keep removing the barriers that prevent qualified people from working and enjoying their freedoms. By keeping the government small and stripping away unnecessary red tape, we ensure that every Utahn is free to enjoy the fruits of their own labor.

Planning for the Future

Utah County is on track to be the most populous county in the state in the next generation. That means we must secure our transportation, energy, and water infrastructure now. We cannot wait for a crisis to arrive; effective leadership means planning today for the generation that follows.

The Choice for District 62

Ultimately, the person you vote for needs to be someone who strengthens the conservative team guiding our state’s policy—someone recognized by his peers as the “most prepared” person in the room because the details matter.

Public service is very different from being a career politician. Let’s be clear: a state representative makes about $17,000 a year. Congressmen in D.C. makes $174,000. Nobody is getting rich doing what I’m doing. In fact, most of us lose money every year because we choose to serve.

I have a long track record of volunteering and sacrificing my time for our party, our neighborhoods, and various charitable organizations. My commitment is to use my training and expertise for your benefit, not mine.

My record shows that I turn conservative principles into real results: lives saved, taxes cut, and freedoms protected. I’m Norm Thurston, and I ask for your vote so we can keep delivering real results for District 62.