Deidre Henderson

Deidre Marie Henderson (born September 4, 1974) is an American politician serving as the ninth lieutenant governor of Utah since January 4, 2021. From 2013 to 2021, she served as a member of the Utah State Senate for District 7, which is based in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Early life Deidre Marie Ellingford was born on September 4, 1974 in the Netherlands into a military family and spent her early childhood there before moving to the United States. She is the daughter of Craig Ellingford and Cathryn Harward; her parents later divorced, and her mother married Rodney Hulse. The family eventually settled in Taylorsville, Utah, where she grew up and graduated from high school. Following her graduation, she attended Brigham Young University, but left after getting married after her freshman year in 1994 and starting a family.

Career Before joining the Utah State Senate, Henderson worked as a business consultant and was involved in U.S. Congressman Jason Chaffetz's 2008 campaign.

Henderson started her political career working for the Jason Chaffetz election campaign. This district formerly consisted of the East Bench of the Salt Lake Valley and was held by Democratic Senator Ross I. Romero, who retired from the Senate in 2012. The Utah State Legislature's 2012 redistricting plan moved District 7 from the Salt Lake Valley to the southern portion of Utah County.

Henderson was sworn into office in January 2013. In 2016, she was re-elected, defeating her Democratic opponent, Andrew Apsley, with 83.65% of the vote to Apsley's 16.35%.

In the Senate, Henderson served on the Committee on Rule. Revenue and Taxation, Education, Business, Labor, and Economic Development Appropriations, and Higher Education Appropriations.

Henderson ran to replace Jason Chaffetz in the U.S. Congress representing Utah's 3rd congressional district in 2017. Henderson lost to State Representative Chris Herrod in the Republican convention.

Henderson did not have an undergraduate degree before entering politics; she attended college, but stopped after marrying and having children. In 2014, while serving in the state senate, she began pursuing a bachelor's degree in history from Brigham Young University, which she continued after becoming lieutenant governor. She was able to earn course credits by serving an internship with the Lieutenant Governor's office, with Governor Spencer J. Cox listed as "internship supervisor." She graduated from BYU in December 2021.

Lieutenant Governor of Utah

On March 19, 2020, Henderson was selected as the running mate of incumbent lieutenant governor Spencer Cox in the 2020 Utah gubernatorial election Republican primary. After Cox won the Republican primary, Henderson became the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor. She was sworn in as lieutenant governor on January 4, 2021.

In 2024, Henderson endorsed Nikki Haley's presidential campaign.

After the 2024 primary, Henderson refused to endorse Donald Trump.

Personal life She married Gabe Henderson, and they have five children. Henderson is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.