Political career
Adams is a former chairman of the Utah State Transportation Commission. Prior to his legislative service, Adams served nine years on the Layton City Council.
Adams served for over four years in the Utah State House of Representatives from 2002 to 2006. He commenced his service in the Senate on September 16, 2009. He was appointed to both of these positions. In 2004, then-Representative Adams was named the 2004 Legislator of the Year by the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, the 2004 Legislator of the Year by the International Code Council, and the 2004 Representative of the Year by the Davis County Republican Women.
In 2016, Adams served as the majority whip. He has also served on the following committees:
- Executive Appropriations Committee
- Infrastructure and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee
- Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee
- Senate Business and Labor Committee
- Senate Transportation and Public Utilities and Technology Committee
In his 2026 re-election bid for an eighth senatorial term, Adams faced two Republican primary challengers, but signaled his intention to be re-elected as Senate president if he were to win the primary. In June 2026, Stephanie Hollist defeated Adams by 43% to 35%.
MIDA chairmanship and Project Stratos controversy
In 2008, then-governor Jon Huntsman Jr. appointed Adams to the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), which was established in 2007 to collect property taxes to fund infrastructural development projects, support military communities and missions, and prevent the closure of the Hill Air Force Base. As of July 2026, Adams is serving as MIDA's chairman in an on-and-off capacity, whereas the agency's executive director Paul Morris retired in June 2026 and was replaced by former state senator Dan Hemmert. In his current board term, Adams, in his capacity as Senate president, appointed himself to the board. During his chairmanship, MIDA oversaw the Deer Valley East Village ski resort expansion with Extell Development Company and a proposed uranium enrichment facility at Camp Williams.
On April 4, 2026, Adams "championed" and the agency approved Kevin O'Leary's Stratos project, which proposed the construction of a 40,000-acre data center in Box Elder County. The project garnered bipartisan criticism, with the "conservative criticism" stemming largely from the perceived lack of voter and official input on the "fast-tracked government approval" of the "accelerated economic development" and perceived circumvention of accountability. The project was also supplemented with 100% property tax relief. O'Leary claimed he was pressured to give in with "no choice" "for [Adams's] political reasons" via letter to remove 20,050 acres from the approved zoning area.
The New York Times cites the backlash to data centers as the focus behind his re-election primary loss to Stephanie Hollist.
2024 criminal law controversy
In 2024, Adams was involved in discussions that led to a change in Utah law allowing enrolled 18-year-old high school students to be charged with unlawful sexual activity rather than child rape in certain cases involving 13-year-olds. The resulting legislation, adopted as part of SB 213, allowed prosecutors to charge enrolled 18-year-old high school students with unlawful sexual activity rather than child rape. The bill was not retroactive, but the law was later referenced in court hearings before Adams's 18-year-old granddaughter's case was resolved with a plea deal. Adams said he "did not request the legislation" and denied that the law change was intended to benefit the case involving his granddaughter.
2021 congressional redistricting
In 2018, an independent redistricting commission was formed to better represent the public's voice when it came to redrawing Utah's congressional maps. A bipartisan group was formed to recommend congressional, state senate, state house, and state school board district boundaries based on public feedback and a strong focus on representation of "communities of interest." On November 1, 2021, the commission delivered its 12 recommendations that were vetted through 16 public hearings across the state to the legislature. The Princeton Gerrymandering Project gave favorable reviews to the maps the council drew. The state legislature, under the leadership of Senate President Adams, ignored the commission's recommendations and drew and approved their own maps. They divided Salt Lake County, the largest and most diverse county in the state, into the four congressional districts.
COVID response controversies
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in Utah, Adams supported legislation to stockpile the experimental medication hydroxychloroquine. Soon it emerged that Utah had purchased $800,000 worth of the drug, at vastly inflated prices, from a local pharmacy with personal connections to Adams.
In 2022, Adams, as the Utah Senate president, opened the 2022 general session of the 64th legislature in person, without a mask. Having contracted COVID-19 the week before, Adams said he had recovered before speaking to the Senate at the start of the session. It was later revealed that he had tested positive for COVID-19 twice that morning. Adams continued his legislative duties unmasked, conversing in close contact with fellow senators, staff, and dignitaries, only masking when meeting with members of the media.
Elections
2026 Utah State Senate, primary election District 7
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Republican |
Stephanie Hollist |
7,550 |
43 |
|
Republican |
J. Stuart Adams |
6,014 |
34.3 |
|
Republican |
Braden Hess |
3,981 |
22.7 |
2022 Utah State Senate, general election District 7
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Republican |
J. Stuart Adams |
22,454 |
72.1 |
|
United Utah |
Kimberly Wagner |
8,703 |
27.9 |
2018 Utah State Senate, general election District 22
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Republican |
J. Stuart Adams |
32,765 |
100 |
| Total votes |
—N/a |
100.0 |
2014 Utah State Senate, general election District 22
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Republican |
J. Stuart Adams |
16,605 |
73.3 |
|
Democratic |
Kip Sayre |
4,417 |
19.5 |
|
Libertarian |
Brent Zimmerman |
1,643 |
7.2 |
2010 Utah State Senate, general election District 22
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Republican |
J. Stuart Adams |
16,638 |
70.09 |
|
Democratic |
Charlie Parker |
4,597 |
19.37 |
|
Constitution |
David A. Hansen |
2,028 |
8.54 |
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