Four women have come forward with allegations that Utah congressional candidate Eva López Chávez made unwanted sexual advances toward them in separate incidents dating back several years, before she took office on the Salt Lake City Council.
López Chávez, a Democrat currently running in her party’s primary for Utah’s 1st Congressional District, has denied the accusations. The claims, first reported by the Salt Lake Tribune, describe encounters in which the women say they were physically restrained or pressured during unwanted advances.
Three of the women are current elected officials, including one who serves alongside López Chávez on the city council.
Salt Lake City Councilwoman Victoria Petro described an incident at a party in September 2022. She said López Chávez pushed her against a wall and made a sexually explicit comment. Reflecting on the experience, Petro questioned how the situation might be viewed if the roles were reversed. “If a man had done that to me, would there be a question if it was assault or not?” she said.
Utah state Sen. Jen Plumb recounted a separate incident from November 2022. She said López Chávez also pushed her against a wall and questioned her about her sexual orientation. At the time, Plumb said she downplayed what happened, but has since reconsidered. “I would not be comfortable with someone doing that to my daughter, to my mom, my best friends,” she said, adding that she now sees it as a clear sexual advance.
Another account came from Utah state Rep. Hoang Nguyen, who described an interaction after a campaign event in 2022. Nguyen said López Chávez asked for a ride to her car, then told her to pull over. According to Nguyen, López Chávez leaned over, held her shoulders down, and demanded a kiss before letting her go. Nguyen said she complied briefly to end the situation.