Longtime Utah state senator and former Minority Leader Karen Mayne has died.
“Today, we lost an extraordinary stateswoman and one of our dearest friends,” said Senate President Stuart Adams and Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla in a joint statement. “Sen. Karen Mayne was a trailblazer and exceptional leader who showed us how working together, despite political differences, can strengthen our state.”
Mayne was first appointed to the Senate in 2007 following the death of her husband, former Sen. Ed Mayne. She later kept the seat in the election and served from 2008-2022.
A cancer diagnosis led to Mayne’s deteriorating health and eventual retirement from the Senate. She resigned in early January 2023 and Sen. Karen Kwan was chosen by the party to take her place.
“Throughout her 15 years as a senator, she has passionately and successfully advocated for impactful improvements for our state,” Adams and Escamilla’s statement continued. “She was one of the most effective legislators and consistently passed the most bills during sessions.”
Utah House Democrats lauded her as a “champion for Utah’s workers” who “tirelessly advocated for labor rights and ensured that the voices of everyday Utahns were heard at the State Capitol.”
Known as a fierce advocate for her west side community, Mayne made inroads with many Republicans during her time in office. Gov. Spencer Cox called Mayne “one of the best legislators I’ve ever met.”
“The perfect blend of toughness and compassion, she could bring the fiercest of opponents together to find common sense solutions,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “We are a better state because of her and worse now that she is gone.”
The Utah Senate said Mayne’s family is grateful for the support they have received and asks for privacy at this time.
