After an emergency election on Feb. 12, a Dixie State University professor was elected into the state legislature.
Travis Seegmiller, a business law and economics professor at DSU, was sworn into the Utah House of Representatives last Wednesday, only two days after winning the emergency election in St. George.
The election was held following the resignation of former representative Jon Stanard after allegations of an affair with a prostitute were made public.
Seegmiller is now the official representative for House District 62, which includes parts of St. George and Washington county. Although Seegmiller is now a politician, he said he doesn’t see himself as one.
“I view my own election as a ‘non-event’,” Seegmiller said. “I’m just a committed DSU business professor, with a legislative background, who happens to be from Southern Utah originally, who is trying to answer the invitation to serve the citizens of my legislative district and our fine state.”
Other DSU faculty members are excited to see Seegmiller in office.
Economics professor Phillip Garner said, “Travis has made outstanding contributions as a faculty member here at DSU, and I am confident he will also make outstanding contributions as a representative in Salt Lake.”
Students at DSU are also glad to have a professor involved in the state legislature.
Kelsey Romero, a sophomore nursing major from West Jordan, Utah, said she is excited to see someone from St. George involved in politics up north.
“Travis has lived down here for years and has clearly kept up and been involved in politics down here so I feel like he will be able to represent St. George and the needs of the community as a whole,” Romero said.
Seegmiller is currently working up in Salt Lake City at the State Capitol and is excited to be able to serve on the state legislature.