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South Jordan • Republican delegates in Senate District 10 were quick to whittle down their choices to replace retiring Sen. Chris Buttars, selecting South Jordan businessman Aaron Osmond after only two rounds of voting.
Osmond, 41, beat out Rep. Ken Ivory, R-South Jordan, in the second round with 69 percent of the 190 delegate votes. The two were the only candidates out of the field of 12 to make it to the second round of voting at the Merit Medical campus in South Jordan. The event began at 7 p.m. Thursday and ended about 2½ hours later.
Delegate votes determine which name goes on to Gov. Gary Herbert, who will appoint the nominee to finish the 20 months remaining in Buttars' term.
District 10 includes parts of West Jordan, South Jordan and Herriman. The district is one of the larger ones in the state, said Salt Lake County Republican Chairwoman Julie Dole, with 94 voting precincts represented.
Candidates for Buttars' seat have been popping up since his March 10 resignation, wooing delegates with ice cream socials, barbecues and free breakfasts in the hope of winning a trip to Capitol Hill.
"It's been like speed dating," said delegate Brett Bailey.
Osmond beat out current office holders Rep. Merlynn Newbold, R-West Jordan, and South Jordan City Councilwoman Aleta Newbold for the seat. Many of the other candidates have held party offices, but others were relative newcomers.
Buttars' choice of replacement — his daughter Christie Buttars Giles — did not make it past the first round of voting.
Osmond took the floor briefly following the vote, expressing his desire to work with Ivory and Newbold on Capitol Hill, adding that his favorite part of the campaign was meeting with delegates at open houses and breakfasts at Village Inn.
"I want to make a commitment to you," Osmond said. "After tonight, that does not end."
Osmond, related to the famous singing Osmond family, is a previous South Jordan mayor candidate and CEO of Real Estate Investors Education.