Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, acknowledged he recently completed treatment for prostate cancer but said he has been given a clean bill of health. His admission came after rumors he was suffering from a terminal illness began circulating on Tuesday.
Stevenson said he was diagnosed with early-stage cancer before the 2022 legislative session but wanted to keep his condition private. “They caught it early, and my doctor says the treatment was successful,” Stevenson said, noting his father passed away from prostate cancer several years ago.
“I’m 100% clear of cancer and have a good prognosis for the next 15 years,” Stevenson added.
Stevenson, the Senate chair of the Legislature’s top budgeting committee, is facing a June 28 primary election against Betty Young. Stevenson defeated Young at the Davis County Republican Convention but fell short of the threshold to win the Republican nomination outright.
The winner of the primary election will be unopposed on the November ballot.
Stevenson says if he wins the primary election, this will be his final term in office. He was appointed to his current seat in 2010 following the sudden resignation of former Senate Majority Leader Sheldon Killpack after being arrested on a DUI charge. Stevenson served as mayor of Layton for 12 years.
Rumors about Stevenson’s health started circulating on Tuesday.
Nate Affleck, who unsuccessfully ran for the Utah House this year, contacted The Tribune claiming Stevenson may have terminal cancer and was attempting to hide the information from voters ahead of the election. Affleck could not recall where he first heard the news about Stevenson.
“Maybe news about him ending his treatment got out, which is where this came from,” Affleck said.
Affleck has endorsed Stevenson’s opponent in the June primary.
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/enH0DPX
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