Chris Wilson announces bid for senate seat in District 25, challenging Lyle Hillyard

LOGAN – Chris Wilson, owner of Wilson Motor Company in Logan, announced he is running for a senate seat in District 25.

Wilson formally announced the news Tuesday afternoon at Angie’s Restaurant in front of a crowd of family, friends and supporters.

The local businessman is challenging Lyle Hillyard who has held the senate seat for 36 years.

“I’ve known Lyle for many, many years. My family and I have supported him,” Wilson said during a recent interview. “I just feel it’s time for a change. I think it’s time for fresh ideas and a fresh approach.”

Wilson said he struggled with the recent approach Sen. Hillyard took on tax reform during the 2019 special legislative session last December. A bill, passed by legislators was repealed the first week of the 2020 legislative session after a referendum opposing it garnered widespread voter support.

“I think the word was there was crisis in our budget and that things needed to be done now before the sky was falling,” he said. “Legislators decided they were going to take a year off and not address those issues until after the election. A lot of people have approached me, recently, with concern that the will of the people was not listened to and not followed.”

Wilson was born and raised in Logan and upon graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business finance from Utah State University, joined the family business, Wilson Motor Company.

“We’ve been able to build our business on listening to our customers and then providing for them the best possible experience,” he said. “I think that’s the same model we should use in politics. We should listen to the people, gather information, look for solutions and alternatives and then act on those with efficient and effective solutions.” He added, “then make sure and monitor those solutions to ensure we are reaching the kind of return for the money invested.”

In his announcement speech Tuesday, Wilson explained he was running in an effort to address a “pervasive negative atmosphere” and “a culture of being out of touch.”

“Our public discourse is going downhill and is fostering arrogance, disrespect and disregard for voters,” he said. “This can lead to incumbent isolation and politicians whose grip on power outweighs the wishes of the constituents. We need a culture of active listening, responding and reacting to the will of the people.”

He added, “Out with the old, in with the new. This election is not going be about the past. It is about shaping our future.”

Visit www.ChrisWilsonUtah.com to learn more about Chris Wilson.

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4 Comments

  • Dee Len Petersen February 25, 2020 at 9:01 pm Reply

    Great, I’m glad that Chris Wilson is running. I think that Hillyard has been there way too long and is self serving, thinks that is smarter than the rest of us, and he is power hungry. He needs to be replaced.
    He is totally out of touch with the people and thinks what we think doesn’t matter. When I write to him and express my concerns, he reprimands me for not agreeing with him. I would like to thank Chris Wilson for making the decision to run. I would encourage the people of district 25 to get behind him and get him elected.

  • Dee Len Petersen February 25, 2020 at 9:14 pm Reply

    That is great news. Hillyard has been there way too long. He is self centered, power hungry, and thinks the rest of us don’t know anything. When I write to him, he reprimands me for not agreeing with him. I’d like to thank Chris Wilson for stepping up and running against him. He has totally lost touch with the people he is supposed to represent, and thinks he is irreplaceable. I would encourage the people of district 25 to support Chris Wilson, and let’s get him elected.

  • Free Bird February 26, 2020 at 12:50 pm Reply

    This is awesome news!

  • Save the Children Initiative May 25, 2020 at 5:49 pm Reply

    Hillyard needs to be expelled from the Senate. Vote him out.

    He is hostile to legislation establishing “equal parent time” as a starting point for children in broken families. If children do not get equal time with both parents, they do not succeed in life.

    Without equal parent time, children fail in schools, fail in life, have myriad mental illnesses, and many attempt suicide.

    Save thousands of Utah children from Senator Hillyard. Expel him.

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