# Merrill Cook

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American politician (1946–2026)

Merrill Cook Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Utah's 2nd district In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2001 Preceded by Enid Greene Succeeded by Jim Matheson Personal details Born Merrill Alonzo Cook (1946-05-06)May 6, 1946 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Died March 9, 2026(2026-03-09) (aged 79) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. Party Republican (before 1988, 1996–2026) Independent (1988–1996) Spouse Camille Sanders ​ (died 2015)​ Children 5 Education University of Utah (BA) Harvard University (MBA)

**Merrill Alonzo Cook**[1] (May 6, 1946 – March 9, 2026) was an American politician and businessman who served as a [Republican Party](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) member in the [United States House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) from [Utah](/source/Utah).

## Early life and education

Born in [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania), and raised in [Salt Lake City](/source/Salt_Lake_City), [Utah](/source/Utah), Cook was the son of scientist [Melvin A. Cook](/source/Melvin_A._Cook) who pioneered the development of [slurry](/source/Slurry) explosives. He graduated from [East High School](/source/East_High_School_(Salt_Lake_City)) in 1964 and the [University of Utah](/source/University_of_Utah) in 1969 and earned an [M.B.A.](/source/M.B.A.) from [Harvard Business School](/source/Harvard_Business_School) in 1971. He was hired as a budget analyst by [Arthur D. Little, Inc.](/source/Arthur_D._Little) and in 1973 founded Cook Slurry Company, a mining explosives manufacturer, of which he served as president and chief executive.

## Political career

Prior to his election to Congress, Cook ran for office a number of times both as a [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) and on the Utah Independent ticket, a [party](/source/Political_party) he founded himself in 1988. Cook ran for Utah Board of Education in 1984, [Mayor of Salt Lake City](/source/List_of_mayors_of_Salt_Lake_City) in a 1985 special election, and [Salt Lake County](/source/Salt_Lake_County%2C_Utah) Commission in 1986, all to no avail.

Cook made his first bid for [Governor of Utah](/source/Governor_of_Utah) in [1988](/source/1988_Utah_gubernatorial_election), finishing third with 21% of the vote. His candidacy siphoned off enough votes from the Republican and [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) candidates, incumbent governor [Norm Bangerter](/source/Norman_H._Bangerter) and former Salt Lake City mayor [Ted Wilson](/source/Ted_Wilson_(mayor)), that Bangerter won by just a 40% plurality over Wilson's 38% of the vote. Cook made a second run for governor in [1992](/source/Utah_gubernatorial_election%2C_1992), coming in second with 34% to Republican nominee [Mike Leavitt](/source/Mike_Leavitt)'s 42% and Democrat Stewart Hanson's 23%. In 1994, he ran for Congress in [Utah's 2nd district](/source/Utah's_2nd_congressional_district), taking third place with 18% behind Republican victor [Enid Greene](/source/Enid_Greene) and Democratic incumbent [Karen Shepherd](/source/Karen_Shepherd).

However, in 1996, after incumbent Republican [Enid Greene](/source/Enid_Greene) announced she would not run for reelection due to a scandal, Cook rejoined the Republican Party. He managed to come in second at the state convention behind the choice of the party establishment, Salt Lake City accountant R. Todd Neilson, getting just enough votes to deny Neilson the nomination outright. Cook won the primary a few months later by 4 percentage points. He faced future Salt Lake City mayor [Rocky Anderson](/source/Rocky_Anderson) in the general election. Calling Anderson "too socially liberal for Utah,"[2] Cook won with 56 percent of the vote despite losing the district's share of Salt Lake City.

In 1998, Cook was accused of instances of erratic behavior. He was briefly banned from state Republican headquarters after an obscenity-laced tirade, his reaction to being told his name had been eliminated from a GOP get-out-the-vote effort to which Cook's campaign had contributed $25,000. He, nevertheless, won by 10 percentage points. He demoted his chief of staff Janet Jenson a few days after the election; in an email, Jenson told her colleagues, "Merrill has taken up permanent residence in whacko land. If he asks you to fax his underwear to the speaker's office, please just do it."[3]

In 2000, the Democrats nominated environmental consultant [Jim Matheson](/source/Jim_Matheson), the son of former popular Democratic governor [Scott Matheson](/source/Scott_M._Matheson_(Utah_governor)). Polls showing Cook far behind Matheson made many Republicans nervous about their chances of holding the seat, especially considering that the 2nd has historically been much friendlier to Democrats than the rest of Utah. Despite local Republicans' misgivings about Cook, the national party strongly backed him. However, in an ominous sign, Cook was forced into a primary against computer tycoon Derek Smith, who was making his first run for elected office. In the primary, Smith defeated Cook by a 15-point margin, taking 57 percent to Cook's 42 percent. Matheson easily defeated Smith at the [general election](/source/2000_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections#Utah) in November.

Cook ran for mayor of Salt Lake County in 2004 as an independent, but garnered only 8 percent of the vote in a race won by Democrat [Peter Corroon](/source/Peter_Corroon). In 2006 he tried to challenge 3rd District Congressman [Chris Cannon](/source/Chris_Cannon) but was eliminated on the first ballot.

He ran for his old seat in the 2nd district in the 2008 election.[4] Cook's political activities were largely enabled by self-financing. His personal expenditures for campaigns for office and ballot initiatives were over $4 million [5] Cook lost the Republican nomination to Bill Dew at the Utah State GOP Convention on May 10, 2008, where Dew received 69% of the vote.[6]

Cook ran for the Republican nomination for [U.S. Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) in 2010 against incumbent [Bob Bennett](/source/Bob_Bennett_(politician)), but did not make it past the first round of balloting at the state convention.

## Personal life and death

Cook married Camille Sanders with whom he had five children. They were both members of [the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints](/source/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints). Camille, an opera singer, died of complications from [Alzheimer's disease](/source/Alzheimer's_disease) on January 15, 2015.[7]

Cook died in Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 9, 2026, at the age of 79.[8][9]

## Electoral history

Utah's 2nd congressional district: Results 1994–1998[10] Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 1994 Karen Shepherd 66,911 36% Enid G. Waldholtz 85,507 46% Merrill Cook Independent 34,167 18% 1996 Rocky Anderson 100,283 42% Merrill Cook 129,963 55% Arly H. Pedersen Independent American 3,070 1% Catherine Carter Natural Law 2,981 1% * 1998 Lily Eskelsen 77,198 43% Merrill Cook 93,718 53% Ken Larsen Independent 3,998 2% Brian E. Swim Libertarian 1,390 1% *

*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 1996, write-ins received 24 votes. In 1998, Arly H. Pedersen received 813 votes and Robert C. Lesh received 524 votes.

## See also

- [United States Senate election in Utah, 2010](/source/United_States_Senate_election_in_Utah%2C_2010)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Cook is out; Leavitt wins"](https://www.deseret.com/2000/6/28/19515252/cook-is-out-leavitt-wins). *Deseret News*. June 28, 2000.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-cnn_2-0)** ["Freshmen of the 105th Congress"](http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/states/frosh/9701/04b/). *CNN*. Retrieved May 12, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Smith upsets incumbent Cook"](https://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/e2173.htm). *USA Today*. June 28, 2000. Retrieved May 12, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Struglinski, Suzanne (March 4, 2008). ["Cook to seek GOP nod to take on Matheson"](http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/1,5143,695258426,00.html). *Deseret Morning News*. Retrieved November 5, 2013.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Robinson, Doug (March 13, 2005). ["Cook's task: rebuild his life"](http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600118276,00.html). *Deseret News*. Retrieved November 5, 2013.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Utah Republican Party](http://home.utgop.org/images/ftp/master2.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080514182146/http://home.utgop.org/images/ftp/master2.pdf) 2008-05-14 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Rolly, Paul (January 15, 2015). ["Camille Cook, opera singer, wife of Utah politician Merrill Cook, dies at 68"](https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=2063684&itype=CMSID). *Salt Lake City Tribune*. Retrieved December 31, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Collins, Lois M. (2026-03-12). ["Former Utah Rep. Merrill Cook dies at age 79"](https://www.deseret.com/utah/2026/03/12/merrill-cook-utah-congressman-dies-entrepreneur-politician/). *Deseret News*. Retrieved 2026-03-12.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Former Utah congressman Merrill Cook dies at 79](https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/northern-utah/former-utah-congressman-merrill-cook-dies-at-79)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-clerkresults_10-0)** ["Election Statistics"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080730201058/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html). Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Archived from [the original](http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html) on 2008-07-30. Retrieved 2008-01-10.

## External links

- United States Congress. ["Merrill Cook (id: C000722)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000722). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

- [Merrill Cook for Congress](https://web.archive.org/web/20080315072341/http://www.merrillcookforcongress.com/)

- [Merrill Cook](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6461958/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

U.S. House of Representatives Preceded by Enid Greene Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Utah's 2nd congressional district 1997–2001 Succeeded by Jim Matheson

v t e United States representatives from Utah Territorial (1851–1895) Seat Bernhisel Hooper Bernhisel Kinney Hooper G. Cannon Caine Rawlins F. Cannon One at-large seat (1895–1913) Seat Allen W. King Sutherland Howell Two at-large seats (1913–1915) Seat Howell Seat Johnson Districts (1915–present) (3rd district established in 1983) (4th district established in 2013) 1st district Howell Welling Colton Murdock Granger Stringfellow Dixon Peterson Burton McKay Hansen Bishop Moore 2nd district Mays Leatherwood Loofbourow Robinson Dawson Bosone Dawson D. King Lloyd D. King Lloyd W. Owens Howe Marriott Monson W. Owens Shepherd Greene Waldholtz Cook Matheson Stewart Maloy 3rd district Nielson Orton C. Cannon Chaffetz Curtis Kennedy 4th district Matheson Love McAdams B. Owens

Authority control databases International VIAF WorldCat National United States People US Congress Other SNAC

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Merrill Cook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill_Cook) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill_Cook?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.