Chris Cannon obit

Utah lawmakers mourn the death of former 3rd District Representative, Chris Cannon

 He was not on the list.

SALT LAKE CITY — Former Utah Rep. Chris Cannon has died at the age 73.  Cannon’s brother confirmed his death to the Deseret News on Thursday.

The Republican lawmaker represented Utah’s 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2009.

Cannon was born in Salt Lake City. He completed his undergraduate work at Brigham Young University.  Cannon also received a law degree from BYU. He ran as a Republican candidate for Utah’s 3rd Congressional District in 1996. He held the office through 2009, when he lost in a primary to former Congressman Jason Chaffetz.

Former Congresswoman Enid Greene Mickelsen told KSL NewsRadio that Cannon was “a remarkable person, a very unusual person, brimming over with ideas.

“He was somebody who was willing to work,” Mickelson said, even if the project “wasn’t the most glitzy.”

Mickelson said that Cannon should be remembered for work that he did on drug policy, criminal justice, goverment reform and regulatory reform.

“Not the things that get you on the news at night, but things … that needed to get done.”

Utah lawmakers expressed their condolences after learning the news of Cannon’s death, including Utah Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson who called Cannon a “great leader and dedicated representative.”

Utah’s 2nd Congressional District representative, Rep. Celeste Maloy, noted Cannon’s integrity. And she lauded the attention he paid to rural Utah.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox cited Cannon’s legislative work in criminal justice, drug policy, and regulatory reform in a post on Facebook.