Incumbent Robert Axson wins Republican Party Chair at 2025 convention

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Incumbent Utah Republican Party Chair Robert Axson won reelection at the party’s 2025 State Organizing Convention on May 17. Axson has served as party chair since 2023 and was running against Phil Lyman.

Axson received 1,340 votes and Lyman received 1,215 votes. A total of 2,560 votes were cast (and five were deemed invalid), meaning Axson won with roughly 52% of the votes. Volunteers reportedly finished counting the votes shortly after 4:15 p.m., with results being announced just after 4:20 p.m.

Ahead of the convention, President Trump, Sen. Mike Lee, and Rep. Burgess Owens endorsed Axson

as party chair. Before his speech at the convention, Axson was introduced by Lee, who took the time to back Axson again.

A few days before the convention, a text survey commissioned by signature-backers Count My Vote (CMV) showed that 59.06% of respondents supported Axson, 39.7% supported Lyman, and 1.24% were undecided. A total of 3,974 texts were sent, and 403 responses were received.

Axson has served as a state delegate, county delegate, precinct chair, and as Utah GOP Vice Chair, among other roles.

Background

The Utah Republican Party meets at a state organizing convention every two years to elect new party leadership.

“Candidates spend two months campaigning across the state of Utah in an effort to win the votes of state delegates,” the party explains. “Four positions are elected to lead the party – Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.”

While the race for party chair was a major focus of the 2025 convention, delegates also voted for other party leadership. The results are as follows:

• Chair: Robert Axson
• Vice Chair: Melanie Monestere (uncontested)
• Secretary: Stafford Palmieri Sievert
• Treasurer: Chris Null (uncontested)

Delegates also voted on proposed constitution amendments, proposed resolutions, proposed bylaw amendments, and proposed platform amendments.

Lindsay Aerts contributed to this report.