Rep. Mike Kennedy and Democrat Jonny Larsen clashed over the Iran war, gas prices and data centers Thursday, Oct. 8, in the first debate for Utah's redrawn 4th Congressional District.

The matchup at Snow College in Ephraim was the first head-to-head for the redrawn district, which now includes parts of Salt Lake County and Millcreek. Voters got a look at how the candidates differ on pocketbook issues ahead of the Nov. 3 election. The Utah Debate Commission hosted the event, moderated by Deseret News Executive Editor Doug Wilks, the Deseret News reported.

Gas prices dominated the exchange. Utah drivers were paying an average of $4.93 per gallon as of Oct. 6, according to AAA data reported by TownLift. That is roughly $1.57 more than a year ago and about $2.18 higher than before the Iran conflict began in late February.

Utah has seen the steepest gas-price increase of any state since the war started.

Kennedy, who currently represents Utah's 3rd District and is running in the redrawn 4th, said he supports President Donald Trump's war effort. He argued the Iranian regime's pursuit of nuclear weapons poses a global threat and pointed to his License to Drill Act, a bill he said is awaiting the president's signature, as a step toward faster energy permitting.

Larsen, a Marine veteran who served two combat tours in Iraq, went directly at Kennedy on the issue. "The immediate thing that we can do right now is end this illegal war," Larsen said. "My opponent over here voted against the War Powers Resolution Act six times … As a veteran myself, who did two tours in combat, I understand that cost and that price that we pay with American blood."

After the debate, Kennedy told KSL reporters he did not want to "tie the president's hands in the middle of a national security crisis" and acknowledged people "have a right to be angry and concerned about how things are going."

On data centers, the candidates offered competing visions. Larsen called for a federal moratorium on new construction until communities can develop better oversight. A Sept. 8–12 poll by Noble Predictive Insights found 60% of Utah voters oppose large data centers in the state, with 62% favoring limits on future development.

Kennedy said local governments, not Congress, should make those decisions and warned that officials who blindside residents "will pay a political price."

Housing affordability also drew a split. Kennedy cited the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which he said Congress recently passed, as a tool to block institutional investors from buying single-family homes in bulk. Larsen called for ending "egregious tariffs" on imported goods to lower building-supply costs.

Larsen, who described himself as a "blue dog Democrat," had one notable stumble. He paused mid-debate and declined to answer a question about energy and the environment, later calling it a "brain fart."

As we previewed Wednesday, Oct. 7, the redrawn CD-4 includes Tooele, Millard, Sanpete, Juab and Sevier counties along with parts of Salt Lake and Utah counties. Ballots go out Tuesday, Oct. 13.