Democrat Ofa Matagi holds a commanding lead over Republican incumbent Steve Eliason in Utah House District 43, with preliminary results showing her at 55.71% to his 44.29%.

Matagi collected 5,336 votes to Eliason's 4,242 on election night, Utah News Dispatch reported. The results are not final until county and state canvassing is completed about two weeks after the Nov. 3 election.

The race is one of roughly 15 where Republican incumbents trailed Democrats statewide. As we reported Nov. 6, the GOP's supermajority in the Utah House appears on track to be broken for the first time in more than two decades.

Losing that two-thirds threshold would mean House Republicans can no longer overturn gubernatorial vetoes or propose constitutional amendments without Democratic support, the Deseret News reported. The party has held that supermajority for 26 years. House Republicans could see their majority shrink from 61-14 at the start of this year to as few as 44 seats in January, according to the Deseret News.

Who is Ofa Matagi?

Matagi is a nonprofit director and community organizer who grew up in West Valley City and lives in Sandy, according to a Salt Lake Tribune voter guide published in October. She works as an environmental partnerships manager for the University of Utah's Neighborhood Partners program and serves as executive director of the Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition.

Her career has focused on health equity, environmental justice and helping underserved communities, according to the Women's Democratic Club of Utah, which endorsed her, the Tribune reported.

Who is Steve Eliason?

Eliason, a Sandy resident, has served in the Legislature since 2011. He served as House Parliamentarian and chaired the House Public Education Appropriations Committee, according to the Tribune. He is a certified public accountant who works as a financial manager for University of Utah Hospital and Clinics.

His legislative priorities included supporting public education funding, promoting fiscal responsibility, supporting mental health and backing social services for vulnerable communities, according to his campaign website as reported by the Tribune.

Neither Eliason nor Matagi responded to a Salt Lake Tribune questionnaire on affordability, government corruption, water resources and constitutional amendments, the Tribune reported.

Election results will not be certified until the state canvass, expected around Nov. 17.