Canyons School Board member Jackson Lewis publicly criticized Equality Utah for backing a Republican over an openly LGBTQ+ Democrat in a Salt Lake County Council race.

Lewis joined more than a dozen Democratic elected officials in signing a joint statement released Wednesday, Sept. 9, expressing deep disappointment in the advocacy group's endorsement decisions, ABC4 reported. The statement targeted Equality Utah's choice to endorse Republican Mike Bird for the District 3 seat over Democrat Luke Maynes, a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

The coalition called on Equality Utah to reconsider how its endorsement decisions were made and to recommit to its mission. The statement argued that the group's choices in multiple races discourage LGBTQ+ candidates from running for office in Utah.

Midvale Mayor Dustin Gettell also signed.

Lewis, who represents parts of Sandy on the Canyons Board of Education, has spoken publicly on LGBTQ+ issues before. At a board meeting May 5, he opposed a Utah school board members' motion to remove the term "LGBTQ" from a National School Boards Association values guidebook and urged residents to push back.

Neither Lewis nor Gettell was quoted individually in the ABC4 report. The joint statement they signed was also backed by Sen. Nate Blouin, a Millcreek Democrat, along with Reps. Angela Romero, Rosalba Dominguez, Sahara Hayes and Grant Miller, Salt Lake County Council members Jiro Johnson and Natalie Pinkney, and several other local officials. Several of those signatories, including Romero, Hayes, Miller and Johnson, are themselves endorsed by Equality Utah for 2026. ABC4 reported it reached out to Romero for additional comment but did not hear back.

Equality Utah said in a written response that LGBTQ+ identity alone does not determine a PAC endorsement. The group said its process weighs a candidate's commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, governing ability and campaign viability, regardless of party or sexual orientation.

Bird told ABC4 the endorsement surprised him but that he values the partnership. He said his support for the LGBTQ+ community is personal: "My twin brother just celebrated his second year and second anniversary with his husband."

Bird said he also received an Equality Utah endorsement two years ago when he ran for House District 35 in Murray.