Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman names new running mate

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman has selected a new running mate after his first pick for lieutenant governor was ruled ineligible to run for office on Friday.

Lyman has announced Natalie Clawson — a Utah County native and BYU graduate with a B.S. in Political Science and a Juris Doctor degree — as his new pick for the position of lieutenant governor. She was reportedly admitted to the Utah State Bar in 2003.

“I am thrilled to be joined by Natalie in this campaign,” Lyman said. “She brings an impressive skill set, connections, integrity, and experience to the office that will be vital as we move Utah back to the right direction.”

Clawson has been involved in politics on a grassroots level, Lyman said in a statement Saturday morning. She is reportedly a sponsor of the Secure Vote Utah initiative , worked for BYU’s Center for International Law and Religion Studies, and researched and published on issues related to law and religious freedom.

Lyman referred to Clawson as “a strong defender of the First Amendment and religious freedom.”

“Serving in her school community as a PTA and School Community Council member, Natalie has had opportunities to advise on educational policies and to actively fight to support and protect our children,” Lyman’s statement reads.

Natalie Clawson and her husband Craig are residents of Highland, Utah, just south of Salt Lake City, and are parents to five children.

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