Meet the Democrat running against Rep. Jason Chaffetz and raising loads of money

She plays the accordion, has practiced medicine for 30 years and is fluent in French. Now she's looking to unseat Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz.

Kathryn Allen, a Democrat, announced her 2018 bid this week to run for Utah's 3rd Congressional District — a race often overlooked due to its overwhelmingly Republican voter base that virtually guarantees a win for the conservative candidate.

This time, a new dynamic seems to be in play. In just a few days, Allen has raised more than $410,000, mostly from small, out-of-state donations. Money poured in Tuesday after Chaffetz appeared on national television and remarked that "rather than getting that new iPhone," low-income Americans may have to prioritize spending on health care.

He later clarified the remark about the new Republican plan to slim down Obamacare, noting "I didn't say it as smoothly as I possibly could." But the congressman faced an immediate uproar on social media accusing him of being insensitive. At the same time, Allen's donations skyrocketed from the $20,000 that sat in her accounts beforehand while she explored a potential run.

Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/news/5041206-155/meet-the-democrat-running-against-rep