Utah state Sen. Jim Dabakis — the outspoken, openly gay chairman of the Utah Democratic Party — has resigned the leadership position for health reasons,
The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
"I'll be fighting some medical issues," Dabakis said in an email to fellow Democrats, without divulging specifics.
Dabakis said he will remain in the state Senate, a seat he was appointed to in 2012, and will campaign to win it this November.
Dabakis first revealed he was having health issues earlier this month, quipping about a fellow politician: "I thought it was just [Republican Sen.] Howard Stephenson’s politics."
Josie Valdez, who serves as the Utah Democrats' vice chairwoman will take over Dabakis' duties while a replacement is picked.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.